


(establishing) the house of hades

by riverdalenerdlol



Series: becoming the queen of the underworld [2]
Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Greek Mythology AU part 2, Mentions of Smut, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Scars, Zeus and Hera are good parents to Betty, mentions of parental abuse, there's some other stuff in here but I don't want to spoil it all in the tags, this is mostly fluffy with some angst and trauma mixed in
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:28:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 27,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27125881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/riverdalenerdlol/pseuds/riverdalenerdlol
Summary: It had been two whole months without seeing Jughead. Betty was antsy, anxious, and generally distracted by anything and everything… not to mention that she had begun to not feel well. She had brushed off the sickness at first, thinking it wouldn’t last long when she was halfway through her second month… but as she reached her seventh and eighth weeks in Olympus, it hadn’t gone away.Though she insisted she could power through, Zeus told his daughter to go home, get well, and finish her work from the Underworld. Hera had agreed, urging her to take some time for herself as soon as she got away from Olympus and its various stresses.Betty hadn’t told Jughead she was coming home after eight long weeks, wanting it to be a surprise, though she had told him in their daily correspondence that she would be home soon without giving him a specific date.8TH BFFAs - NOMINEE: MULTI ANGST/HURT-COMFORT, FAVORITE BETTY or JUGHEAD
Relationships: Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones, Hades/Persephone, Penelope Blossom/Hal Cooper, Zeus/Hera
Series: becoming the queen of the underworld [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1756384
Comments: 24
Kudos: 91
Collections: 8th Bughead Fanfiction Awards - Nominees





	1. the before

**Author's Note:**

> Soooooo I've finally gotten around to posting this
> 
> WAIT tho - this is part one of two because this epilogue is so goddamn long
> 
> While I finish up the rest, I decided I no longer wanted to torture all of you any longer, considering I've been holding onto this for months. 
> 
> Have fun, hopefully I'll have the rest up in a bit!

One of the conditions Zeus had laid out in response to Hades and Persephone’s engagement was that his daughter needed to return to Olympus for a few weeks each year for the kickoff of spring in the mortal realm and for a few scattered events in the summer. 

Each year, the day before her birthday, Jughead had to bid Betty farewell for a few weeks… and each year, Zeus had a combined spring-equinox-celebration-slash-birthday-party for his youngest daughter the next day. Hades always showed up at said party to give her the first dance, stay one more night, and leave the next morning. 

It was tough on the both of them to spend the time apart, considering they were often separated on their wedding anniversary (though, Jughead had popped up on their first anniversary without notice… and then he was justly scolded about sneaking into Olympus without notifying the High King). Though she enjoyed being able to spend time with her father, stepmother, and half-siblings, she deeply missed Jughead and wished he could follow her up. Zeus had denied her request, knowing he would be a bit of a distraction for her usually good work ethic. 

She couldn’t deny the truth in her father’s statement. But that didn’t make her any less sad that Hades couldn’t come with her. 

During the first two years of her marriage, Betty spent two to four weeks grinding away at all the spring work she needed to complete in Olympus so she could run back into her husband’s arms at the earliest opportunity. In the third year, she spent an unprecedented eight weeks in Olympus. 

It had been two whole months without seeing Jughead. Betty was antsy, anxious, and generally distracted by anything and everything… not to mention that she had begun to not feel well. She had brushed off the sickness at first, thinking it wouldn’t last long when she was halfway through her second month… but as she reached her seventh and eighth weeks in Olympus, it hadn’t gone away. 

Though she insisted she could power through, Zeus told his daughter to go home, get well, and finish her work from the Underworld. Hera had agreed, urging her to take some time for herself as soon as she got away from Olympus and its various stresses. 

Betty hadn’t told Jughead she was coming home after eight long weeks, wanting it to be a surprise, though she had told him in their daily correspondence that she would be home soon without giving him a specific date. 

Only after she had finally stepped through the portal and set foot inside the gates of the Underworld could Betty take a deep breath and feel the tension release from her shoulders. Juliet tucked under one arm, she and Betty greeted Cerberus, all three of his fluffy heads giddy and aching for her attention. She gave each fluffy head a kiss, promising to return with treats. 

Around her, skeletal servants began loading Betty’s things onto the royal river boat docked on the shore of the Styx, evidently left there for her return. She boarded soon after, waving goodbye to Cerberus as she headed towards the palace. 

It didn’t take long for them to arrive in front of the dark iron gates of the palace compound, Betty getting off to step inside as soon as the opportunity presented itself. As the gates opened in front of her, Cerberus III came bounding out of the massive palace, launching himself at Betty. His fluffy ears flopped around and his tongue was hanging out the side of his mouth as he grinned up at her, sitting at her feet politely. She knelt to greet Hot Dog, letting Juliet recognize him as well. Betty planted a sweet kiss on his fluffy head. 

“Where’s Hades gone off to?” she asked rhetorically. As if he could understand her, the sheepdog bounded back inside, evidently waiting for Betty to follow him. Hot Dog led them through the palace, all the way to the King and Queen’s private study. 

Hot Dog bumped the ajar door with his nose, pushing it open so he could trot inside. When Betty peered through the crack, she saw her husband - evidently worn out and bored of the state papers in front of him. Hot Dog nudged Jughead’s elbow, trying to throw Hades’ hand onto his head. 

“Buddy, I can’t play right now,” he began, pulling his hand back to himself while Betty pushed the door open wider. She let Juliet down and the puppy scurried over to stand next to Hot Dog, using Jughead’s chair to reach up to him excitedly, licking his face a few times. “Julie? What--?” Betty finally stepped through the threshold with a bright smile on her face as Jughead snapped his head over to see her. “Betty.” 

Just as she was about to walk over to him, Jughead jumped out of his seat, nearly tripping over himself and their dogs just so he could crash into her, hugging her tightly. Betty laughed at his enthusiasm. 

_ “Someone’s _ glad I’m back,” she said, keeping him close. “I missed you, Juggie.” 

“I missed you infinitely more, Betts,” he replied, pulling back to grab her face in his hands. Jughead pressed his lips against hers passionately. “What are you doing here? I thought you still had work to do.” 

“I wasn’t feeling well, so my dad sent me back early to finish my work here,” she told him, cupping his cheek in her hand. 

“Do you want me to call the doctor? Is there anything I can do?” 

“No, no, I’m fine,” she said. “What’s  _ not _ okay is how long I’ve been away from my favorite husband.” 

“Well I can fix that immediately,” he told her softly, smiling knowingly. 

“Jug, you have work to do.” 

“I don’t care.” He scooped her into his arms bridal-style and kissed her again. “We’re going to bed right the hell now.” 

**\---**

Betty’s trips to Olympus were often fun because of the time she could spend with her half-siblings and parents. She didn’t get to see them too much because of her status as Queen of the Underworld, except for one or two parties per year that Zeus could convince she and Jughead to go to. Over the eight weeks that Betty had been there, she spent time with her stepmother and Veronica the most because they had always been around. 

Aphrodite was the youngest of her three older sisters, even though Betty was younger than her, which made her one of the easiest to talk to (Kevin was also easy to talk to, being the sixth of Zeus’ seven children, but he’d been away on wine duties). Though Zeus was often busy, Hera was known to get her work done early so that she could spend her time doing what she wanted, and oftentimes that happened to be spending time with her youngest stepdaughter. 

When Betty had started to feel ill three weeks ago, she first went to Veronica… and Veronica proceeded to call Penelope. What happened after that remained between the three goddesses, but Betty felt the need to tell Jughead. 

He’d moved what he was working on to the desk in their chambers not too long after their trysts in bed, evidently wanting to keep an eye on her after she had said she wasn’t feeling well. Jughead told her to rest for a while, so she did (she wasn’t the type of goddess to turn down the opportunity for a nap). It was just before lunch when she woke, sitting up and pulling the covers around her naked body. Jughead had gone back to his work, wearing pants but no shirt. She smiled at how proudly he displayed his scars in front of her these days, but it quickly turned into a slight frown. 

“Jug,” she said, his head whipping over to look at her. “I thought you were going to take that nap  _ with _ me when you offered it.” 

“I was, but I’ve just got a lot of work to catch up on,” he replied. “Can I reschedule?” 

“I haven’t been here for eight weeks and I can’t even wake up to some post-sex cuddles?” 

“I’ll take that as a no,” he said with a chuckle, getting up and climbing into bed next to her, pulling his wife into his arms. “I  _ did _ miss you, you know.” 

“I know you did,” she told him, her head resting over his heart and stroking the back of one of his arms with her fingers. “I missed you too.” 

“I told Toni to bring up your favorite for lunch, but I can change it if you’d rather have soup or something.” 

“Why would I want that?” 

“You said you weren’t feeling well,” he replied delicately, his voice dripping with his caring nature. “That’s why I wanted you to take a nap. I’m sorry I didn’t stay to cuddle with you.” 

“Don’t worry about it,” she told him, swallowing harshly. “I feel fine right now.” 

“You’re sure you feel better?” 

“Yes, Jug. I’m okay,” Betty said. “I’d let you know if I wasn’t.” 

“Alright,” he replied. “Lunch’ll be coming soon, so I guess we should get you dressed.” 

“If we have to,” she sighed, letting Jughead pull her out of bed. 

It was another missed opportunity to tell him the truth and she was upset with herself because of it. 

**\---**

After lunch, Betty had opted to work in their private study because she could tell Jughead was trying to focus on his work. 

Most of the paperwork that needed her focus couldn’t withstand her attention span for that afternoon. She eventually just skimmed through most of it, signing what needed to be signed. Three hours later, when she had nothing to do, the thing she wanted to tell Jughead weighed heavily on her heart. 

For days after she had found out, Betty had cried and cried into her sister’s and mother’s arms. She didn’t feel ready. They hadn’t planned for anything that was happening to them. Penelope and Veronica agreed that she should tell Jughead as soon as she could… and tried to assure her that what had happened was a blessing. 

It was so hard for her to see it as a good thing, but she knew that she needed to tell Jughead. 

Even though he was caught up in his paperwork, she knew that he’d always make time for her no matter what. 

After finally working up the courage, and after she had shed a few stray tears, she walked into their chambers and knocked softly on the door to get her husband’s attention. 

“Yes?” Jughead asked, his head not lifting from his work. 

“Juggie?” she replied weakly. “Can we talk?” 

His head snapped up just at the way she said his name. Jughead’s facial expression switched from content to concern as soon as he saw she had been crying. He dropped his quill on his desk, getting up to walk over to her and taking her hands in his. 

“What’s wrong?” he asked softly. “Are you okay? Do you need to lie down? Can I get you anyth--” 

“Can we talk?” she said again, stopping him. “Please?” 

“Yes,” he replied. “Of course, Betts. What do you want to talk about?” 

“I’ve wanted to tell you since I got back but I didn’t know when or how, and it never seemed like the right time and I--” 

“Slow down, Betty,” Jughead said softly, his words rushing over her like a calming waterfall as he cupped her face in his hands. “You can tell me anything. You know that.” 

“I’m scared,” she whimpered, tears betraying her and flowing down her cheeks. “I’m so scared.” 

“What are you scared of? How can I help?” he asked, caressing her skin with his thumbs. “What’s on your mind?” 

“Juggie…” She stopped to swallow harshly, trying to find her strength. “I’m pregnant,” Betty said, the words foreign on her tongue. She hadn’t admitted it to herself ever since she found out, knowing that saying it would only make it more real. 

Betty was afraid of what it meant. It petrified her. 

“What?” he asked, shock filling his features. “Y-You’re pregnant? Like - with a baby?” 

“Yeah,” she sobbed, letting the tears flow freely. “I am. Remember the night before I left?” 

“I do,” he replied. “It was from that night?” 

“Probably,” Betty said. “I fell asleep before I could take the medication. Your arms were just so warm.” 

There was a concoction of herbs that Betty had been taking in order to prevent pregnancy. She had meant to take it before bed, after their blissful picnic date that resulted in making love on the bank of the Cocytus River… several times. Not to mention that Jughead had distracted her (and she had welcomed it). 

“You mean it though?” he asked. “You’re really pregnant?” 

“I’m so sorry, Jug,” she whispered. “We’re only twenty-one and we’ve had issues with our parents and--” 

“Is that why you weren’t feeling good?” he asked caringly. She nodded. “And  _ sorry? _ Why are you sorry?” 

“We said we didn’t think we could be good parents,” she admitted tearfully. “Three years ago we said we didn’t want kids - we didn’t want to chance continuing the cycle of abuse.” 

“Don’t be sorry, Betty,” he whispered, continuing to brush her tears away with his thumbs. “It’s not your fault. It was an accident… okay?” She nodded, sniffling. “Have you… thought about it much?” 

“I tried not to think about it as much as I could,” she replied. “I wanted to tell you but I knew you’d be worried about me and… I wanted to tell you in person.” He nodded in understanding. “What do you want to do about it?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I know there’s a procedure that can be done…” she whispered. “I can get it removed.” 

“That is  _ very dangerous,” _ he told her. “Many, many women in the mortal realm die from that procedure,” Jughead continued seriously. “I won’t lose you over a mistake, Betty. I just can’t.” 

“You would rather me  _ have _ it?” she asked. “What would we even do with it? It’s the child of deities, not to mention an heir to the throne. We couldn’t just give it away.” 

“I wasn’t proposing giving them away, Betty,” he whispered. “I was proposing raising them.” 

“I… I’m not fit to be a mother, Jughead,” she told him tearfully. “I’m terrified.” 

“What are you terrified about?” he replied, not understanding. 

“What if I end up like Demeter?!” Betty asked bluntly. “What then? What if I destroy its life? What if I turn out like her? What if I hurt them? Would you send me to Tartarus too, or--” 

“I thought you’d made your peace,” he whispered, stopping her. Jughead moved his hands to her shoulders, smoothing his palms over her warmly. “You’d made your peace, Betty. She can’t hurt you anymore.” 

“I know she is, I just… I’m so afraid that I’m going to end up like her,” she admitted, bursting into tears. Jughead pulled her closer and he wrapped his arms around her so she could sob into his chest. 

He didn’t know how to respond, but she started slipping from his grip, her legs giving out from underneath her. Jughead picked her up before she fell as she continued to cry, carrying her over to their sitting area. He placed her on his lap, letting her head fall onto his shoulder as he held her close. 

“It’s going to be okay, Betty,” he whispered, causing all of the pent up emotion in her slide away. 

It felt good to finally cry with him nearby. For the past three weeks, she’d just been crying herself to sleep, unsure about how her husband would take the news, about what they would do. He secured her to him, trying to console her, even though she could tell that he was tearing up silently as well. Betty covered her face with her hands, not wanting Jughead to see her so devastated while muffling her sobs. 

“Betty,” he said tearfully, trying to pull her hands away. “Look at me, Betts. Please.” 

“I’m going to be such a terrible mother--” 

“No you’re not, Betty,” he said. 

“You don’t know that!” she sobbed in response. 

“But I  _ do, _ Betty,” Jughead insisted, yanking her hands from her face. In one swift motion, he pushed her back against the couch, pinning her wrists on either side of her head and hovering over her so she had no choice but to look in his eyes. “Listen to me, Elizabeth,” he said seriously. Betty’s tears kept flowing, but she stopped crying audibly. “We are  _ not _ our parents. You’re not cruel and vindictive like Demeter and I’m not an alcoholic that sleeps around and hits his wife like my dad.” She listened to his words carefully, trying to see what he saw in her. “You’re not a jealous person, and I know that you would never hurt anyone on purpose. Especially not a child. You’re kind and understanding and there’s so much love in your heart, Betty,” Jughead continued, a few of his tears splashing on her cheeks as he spoke. “I know as much as you’re scared - and believe me, I am too - I know that part of you wishes that you could have this. I know you wish we could share this without fearing that we’ll fuck up like our shitty parents did. And deep, deep down I can tell that you want to show them all the love that Demeter starved you of.” He paused to catch his breath, searching her face. Tears were falling silently out of both of their eyes. “I’m not wrong… am I?” 

She shook her head no. “I don’t want to screw it up for them,” she whispered delicately. “I wish I didn’t have to be afraid of this with you.” 

“We don’t have to be,” he said. “The only thing that we can do now is strive to be better.” She nodded. “And the craziest thing is that I already love them,” Jughead continued. “I don’t know how… but I love them unconditionally and infinitely, just like I love you. I don’t know how it’s even possible, but it’s true.” 

“You do?” Betty asked, her voice cracking with emotion. 

“Yes,” he whispered. “And I know they’ll love you too.” 

“Really?” 

“Anyone that can’t love you is insane, Betts.” He rested his forehead against hers. “Even though this wasn’t in our plan  _ ever, _ and even though this wasn’t something we thought we’d ever be able to do, we owe it to them and to ourselves to do right by them. All we can do now is be the best we can for them… and honestly? I think we can do it.” 

“You think I can do it?” she asked weakly, sniffling. “You think I’ll be a good mom?” 

“I think you’ll be wonderful,” he said truthfully. “We’re not ready - not by a long shot - but I know you’ll be your wonderful self.” 

“If I’m being honest with myself… I couldn’t stop thinking about how you’d look holding them,” Betty replied softly. “And when they fell asleep on you, you wouldn’t dare move a muscle because you wouldn’t want to wake them.” Jughead smiled. “I couldn’t stop thinking about it and how great of a father you’d be.” He removed his hands from where he’d pinned her to the couch, cupping her face gently and pressing a soft kiss on her lips. She held onto his wrists in return, her fingers brushing his pulse on the insides of his forearms. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner,” she said when he pulled away. “I knew you would have come up had I told you in a letter and I didn’t want to be a distraction.” 

“I get it,” Jughead replied, brushing away her stray tears. “I’m happy you told me in person. I just hope it didn’t cause you too much heartache in the meantime.” 

“It did,” she admitted. “Just a little.” He looked at her pointedly. “Okay, fine. I cried myself to sleep a few nights.” 

“Well, don’t do that tonight,” he replied. “But even if you do, I’ll be there with you this time, okay?” 

“Okay,” she said. “Everything’s better when you’re around.” 

“I could say the same,” Jughead told her, kissing her forehead. He pulled away quickly, evidently realizing something. “Gods - do you have a bump yet?” he gasped, his eyes lighting up as he interlocked his fingers with hers. 

“I don’t think so,” she said, pensive. “You didn’t seem to notice earlier, so I guess not.” 

“It wouldn’t be too big. It’s only been eight weeks,” he remarked softly, thinking out loud a bit. “Can I?” Jughead asked, gesturing towards her stomach. 

“Of course,” Betty replied. She watched as Jughead’s hand came to rest over her stomach. 

“There’s really a baby in there,” he whispered in awe; a thought evidently meant for himself. 

“I imagine it would be easier to feel it once I get out of this corset,” she said softly, placing her hand over his and guiding him to just the right spot. “I’m still scared… but I know I want to go through with this. With you.” 

“You’re the only person I’d ever want carrying my child,” he replied, kissing her cheek sweetly. 

She beamed and it made her want to cry again. 

This time around they would be happy tears. 

**\---**

Every morning for two weeks after her return, Betty’s body consistently woke her up early. It was something called morning sickness, just as Hera had explained to her. Betty usually made it to the bathroom in time to empty the contents of her stomach and most mornings Jughead was quick to follow. There had been a few times when she had to yell for him, and one time when he tripped and fell because he had scrambled to get to her side, faceplanting on the tile floor. 

After those two weeks of being home and continual morning sickness, on a lazy Saturday morning, Betty woke up without feeling like she was about to vomit. Just to ensure that it wasn’t going to creep up on her (like it had only a few days prior), she extracted herself from Jughead’s arms carefully, walking into their bathroom. As she stood in front of the large mirror, she thought she looked a little different - and it wasn’t only because she was only wearing one of Jughead’s grey tunics instead of a nightgown. 

It took her a few moments, but she quickly figured it out. 

“JUGHEAD!” Betty shouted, her voice resounding through their chambers. 

The sounds that came from the other room were evidence that Jughead had either rolled out of bed and hit the floor, tripped and fell, or a combination of both (later, she learned, it was both). He appeared behind her quickly, out of breath. 

“What’s wrong? What’s going on?” he asked frantically, his eyes still washed over with sleep. “Oh. You’re not throwing up.” 

Betty rolled her eyes. “Come look,” she said softly over her shoulder, biting her lip. “You can see it.” 

She watched Jughead’s face as he noticed what exactly it was she was seeing. Betty had pulled up his tunic, revealing a small swell in her abdomen. She beamed when his eyes lit up and he grabbed her by the hips, spinning her around so he could see. Jughead grinned in awe, kneeling in front of her so he was facing her stomach. 

“You can see it,” he muttered, repeating her words as tears welled in his eyes. “It’s our little accident.” 

Betty pushed at his forehead with the heel of her palm. “Don’t call it that.” 

“I was just kidding,” he said, placing his hands comfortably on her hips. Betty watched as he pulled her waist closer, pressing his soft lips to her skin. “That’s our baby.” 

In the days following, Jughead became much more protective of his wife. Every few hours he’d come to check on her when they were working. He kissed the subtle swell whenever he could. Betty noticed how he began to sleep with his hand cradling her small bump. 

Their dogs followed Jughead’s lead, Hot Dog resting the side of his head against her abdomen whenever possible and Juliet curling up in her lap more often than usual.

Whenever she was done with her work for the day, Betty would take a bath to relax and unwind. There had been a few days where Jughead shed all of his clothes and got in just so he could sit behind her, kiss her neck, and cradle their growing child (she wouldn’t have minded as much had he not gotten in the way of her washing her own hair). 

When they were alone, it was all they talked about. It was their little secret and they enjoyed keeping it to themselves. Even though they had turned an accident into something they hadn’t realized they wanted and something they were excited about, Betty and Jughead still had their ups and downs. Sometimes she would overthink and burst into tears, terrified of screwing up. Jughead was known to try and hide his anxieties, but Betty could see right through him. Without each other’s support along the way, neither of them believed they would ever be able to become parents without their other half. 

Even though they were mostly excited (and also anxious), they weren’t ready to share what had unexpectedly become one of the most joyous things in their lives. Only a week after Betty and Jughead noticed the bump had grown, they slipped up. 

Toni was preparing Betty’s bath, and the Queen had absentmindedly been smoothing her hand over and cradling her stomach as she undressed. 

It was (another) an accident. 

“Betty?” 

“Yeah, Toni?” 

“Do my eyes deceive me or…” she trailed off. 

“Or what?” Betty asked dumbly, neglecting how obvious she was being. 

“Are you… with child?” 

Shocked, Persephone quickly pulled her robe around herself. 

“Betty.” 

“Toni.” 

_ “Betty.” _

“Antoinette.” 

“You didn’t answer my question, Elizabeth.” 

She sighed, giving up. There was no backtracking. “We didn’t want to tell anyone until it was further along--” 

“OH MY GODS!” Toni squealed. “I’m so happy for you both!” 

_ “Please _ don’t go around telling people,” Betty requested. “We really wanted to wait a few more weeks.” 

“I won’t tell anyone - I swear it on my mortal body,” she promised. “I just know you’ll be great parents. Congrats.” 

“Thank you,” she replied sheepishly. 

“Are you excited? Nervous?” 

“We weren’t trying, but it happened,” Betty explained. “It’s been tough, wrapping our heads around it.” Toni walked over to Betty, putting her hand on her shoulder. 

“I know how quiet it can get around here sometimes. You and Jughead are the only two divine beings that reside here constantly,” Toni replied. “I think it’ll be nice to have a smaller pair of feet running around to shake things up and keep all the guards on their toes.” Betty smiled at her friend. “And I already know that kid is going to be the luckiest in the universe to have parents like the both of you.” 

Later that night as Jughead crawled into bed next to his wife, Betty pulled him closer and made his head rest on her shoulder. His hand defaulted to where he knew their unborn child was, first stroking the spot over the covers before Betty took his hand and guided it underneath  his her tunic. They both smiled when his warm palm made contact with the small swell. 

“I accidentally told Toni we were pregnant,” she said to him after a few moments. He chuckled softly. 

“I was actually going to tell you that I let it slip to Katy,” he replied. 

“Well I guess we’re both shit at keeping secrets,” she said as they laughed together. “It made me think about who I  _ do _ want to tell though.” 

“And who would that be?” he asked, looking up at her. 

“My dad,” Betty said. “My mom already knows and so does Veronica, but I really want my dad to know.” 

“I’ll invite him and Hera down,” he told her. “I’ll get it all set up. I don’t want you to worry about a thing.” 

“I don’t want to tell them until the doctor says we’re past the miscarriage threat.” 

“Of course,” Jughead replied. “I would never schedule it before then.” 

Hades had a doctor brought in not long after Persephone had returned to the Underworld. They were both naturally clueless, but she explained to them that the earlier part of the pregnancy had a bit of a higher chance of miscarrying. They had been careful since then, making sure they were doing anything they could to minimize the risk. There were only a few more weeks until that period of time would pass but they were still hesitant. 

In the meantime, they were glad to keep the news to themselves… and Toni… and Katy. 

“You’re almost finished with all of your spring work, right?” he asked, changing the subject. 

“I actually finished it all today,” she replied, smiling. “Toni sent it up for approval while I took my bath.” 

“That’s cause for celebration, Betts,” Jughead whispered, his hand slowly drifting downwards. 

“Yeah?” she asked knowingly, spreading her legs a little as his dexterous fingers reached between her thighs. 

“Of course it is,” he told her, kissing her neck lightly with just enough pressure to drive her insane. 

“How do you suggest we celebrate?” 

“First with my fingers inside you…” His fingertips dipped into the wetness that was pooling between her legs and he continued to leave wanting kisses on her neck and jaw. “Then with my tongue inside you…” She gasped when two of his fingers plunged inside of her without warning. “And then you  _ know _ what comes next.” 

“Yeah,” she muttered, starting to lose herself to the sensation of his gentle, sweet touches. “I do know.” 

“Are you ready to let me show you?” he asked in a whisper, slowly pulling his fingers back before pushing them in again. 

“Please,” Betty said, grasping his dark hair in one hand as her hips bucked. “Please show me, Juggie.” 

“I will,” he promised her. “Just relax.” 

**\---**

The next week brought Betty’s first round of paperwork specifically for the Queen of the Underworld. Jughead helped walk her through it as the items she received were nearly identical to the ones he did. The tasks were much easier, but she understood why Jughead often looked bored while working. 

Hades stayed true to his word - he didn’t let Betty worry about a single detail in regards to the lunch he was arranging for her parents. 

“You’re doing the hard work,” he told her one day. “I just want to do this for you. I know how important your parents are to you.” 

That by itself earned him a romp in bed. In Betty’s defense, her hormones were through the roof and they had oddly increased her sex drive. Jughead wasn’t complaining, and she wasn’t either. It was certainly one of the better parts of her pregnancy, if they were honest with themselves. One of the less fun parts was how Betty was still getting morning sickness, even though it was slightly less frequent. They asked the doctor about it and she said it was different with every pregnancy. In the same visit, she informed them that they were past the largest chance for a miscarriage. 

Betty didn’t think she’d smiled so hard in her  _ life. _

She was still adjusting to the idea of becoming a mother, and she was still afraid she was going to mess up worse than her own biological mother did, but most days she was happy about it. For some reason that she couldn’t explain, her growing bump had become the center of her attention when she wasn’t doing anything. Betty wasn’t showing considerably, in her opinion, but Jughead always made a big deal about kissing the swell whenever he had the opportunity. He reminded her that she wouldn’t be alone, and that there was no way he would ever let her be alone in their parenthood - she knew that she returned that same sentiment. 

The following weekend, Zeus and Hera arrived in the Underworld for lunch. Jughead went to meet them at the gates while Betty remained at the gates of the palace compound. In her head, she was trying to find the best combination of words to tell her father the news. She hoped he wouldn’t notice immediately, as she and Jughead had wanted to tell them after their meal - together. 

Even before the river boat could properly dock, Zeus was bounding towards his daughter, quickly wrapping her up in a bear hug. It had only been five weeks since she’d seen him last, but they had become much closer ever since Demeter had died and Zeus had become much more attached to his youngest daughter, in turn. 

“Are you feeling better?” he asked after they said their hellos. 

“Mostly, yes,” she replied. “Jughead was a huge help. I assume you got all the paperwork I sent up?” 

“Of course, of course. This’ll be your best spring yet,” he told her. 

Hera was next, hugging her stepdaughter warmly. They walked together and talked as they entered the palace with Jughead and Zeus up ahead of them, chatting away. Penelope had looped her arm through Betty’s, keeping them close. 

“How is  _ everything?” _ Hera asked. “How did he take the news?” 

“He was extremely supportive,” Betty replied, knowing exactly what her mother was talking about. “I was a wreck when I told him, but he was more in favor of me having it than any other potential option.” 

“Society doesn’t like women having options,” Hera said. “It scares them.” 

“It doesn’t scare Jughead.” 

“Nor your father, but some are more fragile than others in that regard,” she continued. “If you had chosen a different path, society would be up in arms.” 

“What do you mean?” Betty asked. 

“Idiotic men believe that it’s a woman’s sole duty to bear a child - male, preferably,” Hera said. “I know that you and Hades hadn’t ever wanted to have one, mostly because of the quite genuine reasons and concerns you explained. I also know you said it was an accident and I could see how visibly upset you were. My point is that had Jughead been a lesser man, he wouldn’t have let you wrap your mind around having a choice. Instead, he consoled you. I know that the only reason he discouraged any other option was because he wanted what was best for you - a procedure is risky and giving away a newborn with the right to a throne would be dangerously controversial.” 

“I see,” she replied. “We’ve decided to keep it, but we doubt we’ll have another unless something crazy like this happens again.” 

“And I completely understand,” Hera told her. “You know I’m available at the drop of a hat if you ever need anything - right?” 

“I know, mom,” Betty said. “Just… don’t tell dad yet. Jug and I wanted to surprise him.” 

“I had figured as much. And don’t worry, Veronica and I haven’t uttered a word about it to anyone.” 

The meal went by in a blur for Betty - almost too anxious to concentrate. She and Jughead were seated on one side of the table, Zeus and Hera on the other as they talked, caught up, and ate. Jughead held her hand under the table after sensing her nervousness. Betty knew it was ridiculous for her to be anxious - she was only telling her father, after all - but that didn’t stop her from being slightly jittery about it. 

A few minutes after they had all finished eating, Jughead gave her hand a squeeze, silently encouraging her to go ahead. 

“Dad?” 

“Yes, Betty?” 

“We have something to tell you,” she began, glancing over at Jughead. He only nodded and squeezed her hand again. 

“It better not be that you’re expanding the palace.” 

“No, no, nothing like that,” Jughead interrupted. 

“I was just joking. What were you saying, Betty?” The smile on her father’s face told her that everything would be okay. 

“Jughead and I are… we’re expecting,” she said carefully, happy to finally get it off her chest. 

After a moment Hal’s face lit up, reminding Betty of the fireworks at her most recent birthday party. 

“You’re pregnant?” he asked softly, smiling brightly. Betty could only nod in response, feeling tears in her eyes. 

“We are,” she replied waterily. She blamed the hormones for the tears. 

“I’m gonna be a grandfather?” Zeus asked, still in shock. 

“Yeah, dad. You are.” 

“I’M GONNA BE A GRANDFATHER!” he boomed, jumping out of his seat and running around the table. When Betty got up to hug her dad, he lifted her into the air excitedly and made her laugh. She watched Jughead and Hera smiling as they got up to stand with them. 

“Wait, wait, shhh!” Betty laughed. “We’re waiting a little longer to tell everyone else!” 

“We wanted you to know first,” Jughead added as Zeus put his daughter down carefully. 

“Mom already knew,” Betty said. “She confirmed it.” 

“Penelope?” 

“Betty asked me not to say anything until she could talk to her husband,” she replied. “I respected that wish.” 

“We’re going to announce it in a few weeks, but this is our little secret for now,” Jughead said, draping his arm over Betty’s shoulders and pulling her closer. 

“Oh, I can already see it, too,” Zeus added, looking down. 

“I’m showing a bit, I know.” She ran her hand over the swell that had grown bigger since she first noticed it. 

“How far along are you?” 

“She’s just about thirteen weeks, I think,” Jughead said. Betty nodded to confirm. 

“It looks like it’s been longer,” Zeus told them. Betty and Jughead looked at each other, confusion filling their features. “You might want to ask your doctor about it. You could be having twins!” He laughed heartily, but Betty and Jughead became concerned that he could be right. 

After all, he would know - he had seven children. 

“H-How can you tell?” Betty asked nervously. 

“Your half-siblings, Artemis and Apollo are twins. Jason and Cheryl? They caused Leto grievance when she figured it out,” Zeus continued. “Sometimes you can tell by how quickly the pregnancy seems to develop. It can be misleading, though.” 

Evidently seeing the concern on the young couple’s faces, Penelope stepped forward. She placed her hand on Zeus’ shoulder to get him to shut up before he sent them both into panic attacks. 

“I should be able to tell,” Hera said. “That is - if you want to know.” 

“Please,” Betty muttered anxiously, stepping out from under Jughead’s arm and towards her mother. 

Penelope placed one hand on Betty’s shoulder and another on her stepdaughter’s bump. Hera closed her eyes and Persephone’s heart raced. 

“Deep breaths, Betty,” her mother said. “It’s hard to get a good reading when you’re almost vibrating.” She did her best to calm her breathing, letting Hera do what she needed to do. “Good Gaia,” she muttered after a few moments, removing her hands and opening her eyes. Penelope looked between the young couple, aghast. 

“Is something wrong?” Betty asked, her voice laced with concern. “What did you see?” 

Hera swallowed harshly, unknowing she was about to bring their world crashing down. 

“It’s triplets.” 

**\---**

“TONI!” Jughead boomed. The petite mortal slipped inside the room and bowed her head respectfully. 

“Yes, Your Majesty?” 

“Call the doctor.  _ Now.” _

“What do you want me to tell--” 

“GO!” Toni scurried away without another word. 

Betty was frozen in her spot, tears running down her face. Hera noticed her sudden mood change and began trying to console her. It was evident that Zeus didn’t know how to respond and that Jughead was on the verge of flipping his divine shit. 

Persephone’s mind was racing. 

The child she had never wanted had suddenly become three children. 

They hadn’t even been sure of the  _ one _ they had been planning for. 

How was she supposed to care for three lives when everything was crumbling around her? 

“Betty?” Jughead asked, coming up behind her. She didn’t respond. “Betty?” 

The noise around her started to echo, building and building and building until it all came to a head. 

Her body slacked, falling right into Jughead’s arms. 

**\---**

The next time she opened her eyes groggily, Betty saw three heads hovering over her and felt something cold on her forehead. As the figures came into focus, she saw Jughead worriedly trying to wake her up, Hera holding a cold and wet towel to her forehead, and Zeus half a second away from biting all of his nails off. 

Jughead cupped both sides of her face gently, his thumbs brushing across the apple of her cheek tenderly. 

“Betts,” he whispered. “Thank gods.” 

“What happened?” she mumbled, noticing that she was laying in her bed and feeling the weight of Juliet tucked next to her. 

“You fainted, sweetheart,” Hera chimed in. “You’re lucky Jughead caught you or you would have hit the floor.” 

It all came back to her - the uncertainties, the shock… and the triplets growing inside her. Betty turned her head towards her husband. 

“I can’t do this,” she said as she shook her head, only soft enough for Jughead to hear. “I can’t do any of this.” He looked up at her parents. 

“Can we have a minute?” 

“Of course,” Zeus said. He and Hera exited the room silently as tears began to run down Betty’s face again. 

“I can’t do it, Jug,” she said again, her head shaking even more. “I’m not ready for this.” 

“But earlier today--” 

“That was when there was only one,” Betty interrupted, sobbing. “There’s three, Jug.  _ Three.” _

“I know,” he replied, running his fingers through her hair softly and holding her hand in his. “I can’t even imagine how it must feel to learn that you’re carrying not one but three lives inside of you.” He swallowed harshly. “I’m scared, Betty. I’m afraid too. I’m terrified I won’t be the father you need me to be for them, or the father they need me to be… But I want to try.” 

“I can’t do this, Jug,” she whispered. “I  _ fainted _ when she told me - I can’t be a  _ mother.” _

“I don’t feel like I’m fit to be a father, either,” he told her. “But what did we decide five weeks ago?” 

“I don’t--” 

“You remember, Betty,” he said. “What did we decide?” 

She sighed. “We decided to do our best.” 

“That’s right,” Jughead whispered. “We decided to do our best to make sure this kid -  _ these kids _ \- feel loved.” He drew circles on her skin with his thumbs. “Even though I’m more terrified than ever… none of that changes for me. The only thing that  _ does _ change, though… is how I get the opportunity to love  _ three _ children that you’re the mother of.” 

“You say that like it’s going to be easy.” 

“Oh, it’s not,” he told her. “Three? No. It will be very, very difficult.” 

“Is that supposed to make me feel  _ better?” _

“There was a but,” he continued.  _ “But… _ I wouldn’t have it any other way.” 

“You want all three of them?” she asked incredulously. “Triplets.” 

“Three adorable little angels with bright eyes that absolutely adore my wife?” he replied. “How could I not?” 

“You don’t know they’ll be all over me like that,” Betty quipped. 

“No, they definitely will,” he disagreed. “They’re going to love you so much because you are  _ extraordinary, _ Betts. Utterly otherworldly.” 

“We won’t be able to get any sleep ever again.” 

“As long as I’m doing so with you, I don’t care.” 

A few moments later, the doctor and Hera came in. They asked Betty some questions about her symptoms while Hera took another opportunity just to make sure she saw what she did the first time. 

“Are you still having morning sickness?” 

“Yes.” 

“Has it decreased in any way, shape, or form since week ten?” 

“Not much.” 

“Has there been an increase in fatigue?” 

“Yes.” 

The doctor went on to ask question after question as Betty tried not to freak out too much with Hera’s hand on her stomach. Her mother kept still for a while, her eyes closed. When she finally opened them again, a few tears ran down her face that she quickly brushed away. 

“The symptoms all line up, Your Majesties,” the doctor said, glancing over at Hera. 

“There’s three strong, healthy heartbeats,” Penelope added. “Triplets.” 

Though Betty had somewhat already accepted her fate, she was still marginally curious. 

“Mom, did you... could you see the gender?” she asked carefully, Jughead squeezing her hand as she asked the question. 

“No, not yet,” Hera replied. “In a month or so I should be able to tell. Until then, Hal and I should get going.” 

“Toni should be waiting to escort you out,” Jughead told her. “I’d do it myself but…” 

“We understand, Jughead. It’s okay. We’ll see you both soon, I hope.” 

After the two women were gone, Betty looked up at her husband. 

“I want to hear you apologize,” she said. 

“Wait, me? What did I do?” 

“You put not one, not two, but  _ three _ children in me before I went to Olympus,” she told him, a playful grin slipping onto her face. Betty almost laughed. 

“With that smile I can’t tell if you’re actually mad or not,” he chuckled softly, using his thumb to brush away a stray tear. “What’s running through your mind, Betts?” 

“A lot,” she told him, nodding. “I was barely getting along with the idea of one, but now it’s been tripled.” 

“I know,” Jughead replied, tucking a blonde curl behind her ear. “And I’ll never get you pregnant again if that’s what you want.” 

“With our luck you’d get me pregnant with twins next time and we’ll have five children when we bargained for two,” she joked. He smiled down at her. “We’re going to have these triplets, and I’m never giving you another child unless you ask  _ very, very _ nicely.” 

“I think three is enough for me,” he laughed, kissing her forehead. 

“Says the one that’s not carrying them,” Betty retorted. Jughead leaned down to press his lips against hers softly. 

“Do you still want that apology?” he asked after pulling away. 

“I do. I really do.” 

“I’m sorry for accidentally giving you the gift of motherhood three times in one go,” he whispered sincerely. 

“You’re forgiven,” she told him. “Eventually.” 

“When is  _ eventually?” _

“When all three of them are no longer living in or off of my body.” 

“Gods, there’s really three of them, aren’t there?” Jughead asked, a smile plastered on his face. “Three whole little people inside of you. Wow.” He moved down her body to place a long kiss on her rounded bump. “Our kid. Our  _ kids.” _

“I don’t even know what to think anymore,” she whispered, laughing softly. “Are we going to be okay?” 

“I don’t know, but I’m not going anywhere,” he promised. “Even if it ends up being quadruplets--” 

Betty hit him on the head for even suggesting such an idea and they both laughed it off. 

“You mean it?” she asked, reaching up to hold his face in her hands. 

“Of course, Betts,” he told her. “You could never get me to leave, even if you wanted to.” 

**\---**

“I just want them to feel loved,” she told him tearfully an hour later, both of them laying in bed together. “I want them to be happy, and I want them to know how much I love them. 

“They  _ are _ going to love you,” he assured her. “They’re going to adore you, I’m sure of it.” 

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah… and I want them to keep us on our toes.” 

“You want them to have us running around the palace?” 

“Sure. I’d love to chase them around while they’re giggling so hard they might fall over.” 

She could picture that - three little ones with hair as dark as Jughead’s running through the halls, squealing with laughter so contagious that the guards have to clench their jaws shut in order to keep their bearing. 

“Oh gods.” 

“What?” 

“Are they going to be identical triplets?!” she asked, her eyes widening. He just started to laugh. “Are we going to have three little gods or goddesses that look exactly the same?!” 

“Okay, I think that’s enough overthinking for now,” he chuckled, pulling her in closer. “Let's save that one for later, okay?” 

“Fine,” she sighed, getting comfortable next to him. “If they’re all identical I’ll need  _ another _ apology.” 

He laughed softly, nuzzling into her blonde hair. 

**\---**

The next day, Jughead arranged for he and Betty to move into one of the smaller, more private apartments on the top floor of the palace. She was confused at first, not understanding why he would do something like that. 

“I want you to be able to rest, Betty,” he told her. “You’re working for four, and the doctor  _ and _ your mother recommended for you to rest as much as possible, remember?” She nodded with a sigh, completely remembering that part. Jughead got up from his desk and smoothed his palms over her shoulders. “Multiple pregnancies can be tricky, and I want you to be able to relax as much as you can. I’m doing this in order to protect you--” He tapped her nose with his finger. “--and them.” Hades placed his palm over her growing swell. 

“Jug, we can do that right here.” 

“I know nothing ever happens in this palace, but I still think this is the right way to go,” he continued. “There won’t be any disturbances except for Toni and Katy, and even that’s only when necessary.” 

“Nobody bothers us as we are, Jug.” 

“I said I’d always protect you,” he reminded her softly, kissing her knuckles. “That’s what I’m trying to do, Betts. Please let me keep my promise.” 

Betty sighed, giving into him. “Fine,” she said. “Okay.” 

Two days later when they were completely moved in, Betty understood why Jughead had wanted to move into the apartment. The space was smaller and much more homey. There were two bedrooms and a common area. Jughead had a section of the library brought into the common area so that they wouldn’t have to venture to the much larger palace library downstairs. 

One of the things Betty enjoyed about moving into the apartment was how Jughead had volunteered to complete any Queen of the Underworld paperwork meant for her. Before discovering the triplets, they had decided that Betty would continue paperwork as normal until her sixth month began. She had refused at first, but eventually let him take it over as the fatigue of carrying three set in. The first day of refusal, Jughead found Betty asleep on her desk when he went to check on her. 

Her schedule changed drastically as soon as she had handed over her workload to Jughead. Betty could sleep in as much as she wanted, spend her entire day reading with Hot Dog and Juliet snuggled up to her growing bump, and she didn’t even have to change out of her pajamas. What she loved most was kicking her feet up and watching the Elysian Fields through the giant window, all from her spot on the couch. 

Whenever Jughead wanted a break from his work, he could just walk into the next room and seat himself next to Betty for a few minutes. Other times, when Jughead had neglected to take a break that  _ she _ could see he needed, Betty padded into their bedroom and seated herself on his lap. One such day, he decided to be stubborn. 

At almost four months pregnant with triplets, Betty was as round as she would be with one child at seven months. Straddling her husband wasn’t as easy as it used to be, but she had managed to do just that, sitting herself in his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck to hug him. Most days he would reciprocate the hug, but he didn’t. Jughead didn’t even put his pen down - he just kept signing papers. 

“Juggie,” she said softly in his ear. “I wanna take a nap with you.” 

“I can’t right now, Betts,” he replied. “Toni’s bringing lunch soon. Maybe after?” 

“Okay,” she sighed, keeping her head against his shoulder. He turned his head to leave a soft, quick kiss on her cheek. 

“I can’t wait,” Jughead told her, leaning his head against hers. She pressed small kisses against the skin of his neck, finally getting him to put down his pen and hug her back. “How’s your morning been?” 

“Quiet. A little lonely.” 

“If I had a break I would have come sit with you.” 

“You’re wearing yourself thin, Jug,” she told him softly. “I don’t want you to be stressed out either.” 

“You’re right,” he sighed, rubbing his hands up and down her back. “I wanna spend some time with you today.” 

Betty smiled into his neck, keeping herself close. Just a moment later, Toni came in with their lunch on a tray. Betty didn’t budge from her spot, allowing herself to close her eyes and breathe in her husband. 

“T, I’m taking the rest of the day off,” he told her as she placed their food on the two-person dining table. 

“You’ve got it, boss,” Toni replied, exiting the room. “Enjoy.” 

Betty ended up falling asleep against Jughead’s shoulder. He got up and gently carried them both over to their bed. She clung to him in his arms as tiny, unnoticeable butterfly kicks erupted between them. 

**\---**

“What’s the news, Hera?” Jughead asked, gripping his wife’s hand a week later. Betty looked between her husband and her mom, feeling the tension. “Could you see them?” 

“I saw all three and their genders,” Hera announced with a smile on her face. “I assume you would both like to know.” 

Betty and Jughead nodded profusely. 

“Very well,” she began. “You are the parents of—“

**\---**

Betty laid awake in bed later that night, running her hand over the distinct curve of her stomach. Since her bump had grown so much, she had taken to wearing Jughead’s loose tunics to bed, though she knew that she would soon outgrow those. Hera had explained that since she was carrying triplets, it was normal for her pregnancy to seem accelerated and that by the time she was close to giving birth she’d be larger than any average single pregnancy. Betty was dreading the day she would have trouble getting out of bed… even though she was having a bit of trouble with that already. 

After learning from her mother that the triplets would most likely  _ not _ be identical (just based on some of the developing facial features she could see), an overwhelming sense of relief had washed over both Jughead and herself. Identical triplets on top of being new parents would have been too much stress for them to handle on their own and they both knew that. 

Beside her Jughead rolled over in his sleep, sighing heavily. 

Betty was too busy thinking about what her husband would look like with three babies on his chest, all of them asleep. She smiled to herself at the idea, continuing to run her hand up and down her rounded stomach. A moment later she felt a light kick, a soft smile spreading on her face. 

When she turned her head to look at Jughead, her smile faded. His brow was scrunched, droplets of sweat on his forehead and his body tense. Betty sat up, about to reach for his hand when he shot up unexpectedly. 

Jughead’s eyes were wide as he held onto his own biceps, shaking. He hadn’t noticed Betty beside him as he trembled and shuddered. 

“Jug?” She asked quietly, her hand moving towards his shoulder. Betty froze when his head snapped toward hers. 

Jughead’s glowing, red irises and the deep onyx replacing his whites of his eyes bore into hers. A single tear rolled down his face, betraying him.

Slowly, Betty reached a hand towards him. He kept trembling as he allowed her to cup his cheek in her hand, her thumb wiping his tear away. 

The red and black faded quickly, the cool blue and white returning to his eyes. As soon as he realized what had happened, Jughead jumped out of their bed. Betty just watched him bolt onto their private balcony, making the glass doors swing open and shut behind him with a wave of his hand. 

As soon as the doors slammed shut Betty slid off their bed, following him outside. She found him leaning against the railing (and without a shirt on… because she was wearing his shirt) with his head in his hands. 

“Jug?” She asked again, softly. He didn’t look up as she came over to stand next to him. “Jughead?” 

He burst into tears, his body convulsing. 

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. 

“Sorry about what exactly?” She replied, confused. 

“Just go back to bed, Betts.” 

“No,” she told him. “I’m not going anywhere. What happened, Jug?” Betty placed her hand on his back, trying to comfort him. “Tell me, please.” 

It took her a few minutes to get it out of him, but he eventually told her after he realized how persistent she was being and after his tears ceased.

“I dreamt of the battle with my father,” he admitted weakly, turning his head towards his wife as he remained hunched over. “Only this time it was he who struck  _ me _ out of the sky instead of the other way around.” 

Jughead didn’t speak much of the week-long battle with the previous Hades. Betty knew it had been an excruciating event and quite traumatic, even though he didn’t have many nightmares concerning it. 

“I guess… thinking about being a dad is harder when my dad was shit,” he told her. “Sometimes I envy your relationship with your father  _ and _ your chosen mother… and then I remember that I have nothing to contribute in that aspect.” 

“What do you mean?” Betty asked. 

“The only grandparents our children will ever meet are  _ your _ parents. The only aunts and uncles they’ll know are  _ your _ brothers and sisters,” he said. “I haven’t seen my mother and sister in years. I banished my father. I just feel like… I can’t contribute anything like that because I don’t have any other family but you, Betts.” 

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I wish I could help.” 

“Nothing can help any of that,” he replied. “It would take a miracle to track them down.” 

Betty pulled him off the railing, bringing his arms around her so she could hug him tightly. He returned it, tucking his face into her neck. 

“This isn’t  _ just _ about your family, Jug,” she whispered in his ear, not letting him out of her embrace. Betty knew she could see right through him, just like he could see through her. They were open books for each other. “Your mother left you, but that’s her loss. She missed out on the wonderful, caring man you’ve become… but none of this is  _ just _ about that. Subconsciously, you think that because of everything that’s happened to us it’ll make us unprepared parents.” Betty rubbed his back softly. “You’ve been telling me this for weeks now but we’re not our parents, Jug.” He hugged her even tighter, nodding into her shoulder solemnly. “We’re going to do our best to give these three kids a good, happy life and good parents that don’t hurt their children. We’ll do our best to make sure they know they’re loved, and we’ll chase them around while they laugh so hard that they can’t run straight.” She could feel him smiling a little as he stopped crying. 

“It’s still hard for me to think about being a mother, but I know you’ll be a stellar dad, Jug,” she continued, keeping him close. “I know it’s hard to accept that as a possibility, and that’s probably the years of awful parenting and self-doubt in us… but you say I’ll be great, and I say you’ll be great too, Jughead.” 

“You always know what to say,” he mumbled, sniffling as he pulled away and looked into her eyes. 

“I think I learned it from  _ you _ over the years,” she replied with a soft laugh. He cupped her face in both of his hands and Betty held onto his wrists. “That’s how you got me to fall for you back in the day.” Jughead smiled wider. 

“You’re saying  _ back in the day _ like it was ten years ago,” he joked, making her laugh. “Betts, it was  _ three _ years ago.” 

“I know,” she told him. “Best three years of my life. How’d I ever live without you?” 

He pulled her in for a kiss in the moonlight, pressing their lips together softly as Betty pushed herself onto her toes to reach him. She lowered herself back onto her heels after a moment and they smiled at each other. 

“I love you,” he whispered. 

“I love you too,” Betty said. “Now come cuddle your pregnant wife before she turns into your  _ cranky _ pregnant wife.” 

“One more thing,” Jughead muttered, dropping to his knees before her eyes. He said something against her growing bump, too quiet for her to hear, then left a long kiss just above her belly button. After a moment, he got up again and took her hand in his own. “Okay, time for cuddles.” 

Betty smiled as they walked over towards their bed. He helped her swing her legs onto the mattress, then slid right next to her. Jughead laid on his side, his ear over Betty’s heart while she stayed on her back. 

“I think I secretly love this,” Jughead whispered, placing his hand on her stomach. 

“Why?” Betty asked. “Your children are digging into my hips.” 

“It’s like cuddling you  _ and _ a watermelon at the same time,” he muttered, getting sleepy. “You’re a sexy watermelon, Betts.”

“I know you did  _ not _ just compare me to a watermelon, Jug,” she replied. 

“Sorry. I’m hungry.” 

“You’re  _ always _ hungry. That’s not an excuse.” 

“I’m still sorry.” 

“You’re one fruit comparison from sleeping on the couch.” 

“You love me too much to do that,” he whispered, falling asleep on her shoulder as she played with his hair. 

“I do,” she said softly, smiling at him. “You’re right.” 

**\---**

Betty and Jughead made the pregnancy announcement a week later, making sure to include that they were expecting triplets. They received several congratulations in return and earned a few visitors. 

Veronica was the first to come by for an afternoon, keeping Betty company while Jughead worked and getting to see the progress of her sister’s pregnancy. 

“I’m so happy you’ve embraced this,” she told her sister. “You took something unexpected and you’re turning it into something beautiful, and I’m so happy for you both.” 

Cheryl, Josie, and Kevin came by next, not having believed the announcement after reading it with their own eyes. When they found their youngest sister heavily pregnant and nearing five months, they flipped out. 

Reggie had to see it for himself and he cried when Betty smiled at him… and then he was on the verge of having she and Jughead sign non-disclosure agreements about the tears he shed. 

“Reg, we don’t have  _ anyone _ to tell,” Betty assured him, calming him down. “Your secret’s safe with us.” 

Jason was last, having quite a busy schedule, but he gave Betty and Jughead the biggest hugs he could muster when he arrived. 

Once Betty had been pregnant for six months, Jughead stopped work as the King of the Underworld and let Toni run the palace. It was getting harder for Betty to physically get out of bed in the morning and Jughead took the time off so he could spend it with his wife and take care of her during the day. 

Betty enjoyed the company (especially because Jughead let her sit between his legs on the couch and lean back against him) and the extra, less-burdened set of feet around at nearly all times. Together they spent their days lazing around, sleeping, and trading soft kisses back and forth. They took long, warm bubble baths together, and Jughead read to Betty when she was too tired to do so herself. The triplets were exhausting her, so he just did his best to be there for her in whatever way she needed. 

By the six month mark, Betty had grown to the point where she would have been at nine months in a single pregnancy. Because she was carrying triplets, she still had at least eight more weeks of growing and exhausting days ahead of her - another reason for Jughead to take time off to take care of her. They did their best to get out of the apartment once a day and walk around the top floor of the palace, though it could be tiring for Betty. 

At seven months, she was even larger and the triplets had begun kicking more than usual. She despised that they liked hitting her ribs and hips, but Jughead loved watching and feeling them move. 

“It’s easy for you to enjoy it - they’re not chipping away at you from the inside,” she clipped one day after an awfully swift kick that pressed on her bladder. 

As they approached the eighth month  _ and _ the tentative date of delivery (as triplets had been known to arrive before reaching nine months), Betty’s hormone levels spiked dramatically. She clung to Jughead as best she could with her exceptionally large belly, and she had started nesting. Before they went to bed at night, Betty made sure that Jughead was warm and snug right next to her. She built little nests around them out of nearby blankets, pillows, and her love for him. Jughead liked to laugh about how she nearly swaddled him every night, but Betty was quite serious about her nest.

A few days after the nesting began, three cribs were taken into the second bedroom of their apartment and Toni had arranged for a team to come in and make the room look nice. Betty and Jughead had decided months prior that they wanted to raise all three of their children by themselves (or as much as they could handle, as children were soon to outnumber parents). 

Toni not only arranged the second bedroom to be furnished, but she had the old Queen’s Chambers redecorated as well so it would be a fitting nursery for the triplets once Betty and Jughead were ready to move back into their suite. The day she was ready to show them her work in their second bedroom, Toni waited for Jughead and Betty to see it together and led them inside the room. The couple walked arm in arm, in awe of Toni’s attention to detail. She excused herself after a moment, giving them a moment alone. 

The three cribs had been placed against the far wall, each with an Underworld Coat of Arms stamped on the outside of the headboard and footboard in silver. Betty had stepped away from Jughead when she saw it all, getting emotional as she ran her hands over the smooth, white wood. He hugged her from behind, smiling into her shoulder and kissing her neck. 

“It’s all becoming real,” she whispered, sniffling. 

“It wasn’t real when your belly got so big that you couldn’t see your toes?” Jughead asked. 

“Shut up,” Betty replied, laughing softly. “There’s going to be three of them soon. 

“Hopefully they all look like you,” he joked, smoothing his thumb over the top of her clothed bump. 

They had talked about their triplets, and about all the different combinations there could be. While they already knew the genders of their children, they didn’t know in what order they would be born, nor what they would look like. Betty and Jughead had talked through all of the possibilities they could imagine, and neither had a preference on how the three kids would come out. They just wanted to meet them, love them, hold them, and watch them grow. 

At the end of the day, Betty and Jughead were anxious about it all. There were only a few more weeks until they were to become parents for real. They had a habit of constantly reassuring each other and though it helped, they were still nervous. Before they left the nursery, Betty and Jughead took the emotional moment of seeing their children’s room for the first time to remind each other that they were going to the best they could possibly be when the time came. 

They never doubted the other would be anything less than a loving parent. 

**\---**

The triplets came in the middle of the night, waking Betty up with a splitting pain in her lower half. Before she knew what she was doing, she shook Jughead awake. Once he realized what was happening, he scrambled out of bed and told Betty not to go anywhere, as he was going to get Toni. As quick as he left, he returned again. 

“Tell me you found her.” 

“Yeah. She’s calling the doctors in right now.” 

“What about my mom?” 

“She’s calling her and Zeus too, Betts,” he told her. “You’re going to be okay. I’m right here.” 

Toni found them rather quickly after contacting the doctors, Hera, and Zeus, and the team of doctors came in right after her. They set up around Betty before she could blink while Jughead and Toni stayed on either side of her, not letting go of her hands. She could tell that Jughead was just as anxious as she was. 

Zeus and Hera arrived not long after, storming into the room. Betty felt ease wash over her as soon as her mother took over and her father came to stand by her side with Jughead. Only a moment later, that feeling fell away completely. 

“Betty, it’s too dangerous to do this naturally,” Penelope told her after examining the situation. “I’m going to have to get them out myself.” 

Betty knew exactly what her mother meant. They all knew the procedure could be risky, but Hera had performed it many times in her role as Goddess of Birth. She gave the go-ahead to her mother and a curtain was set up between them (it seemed to make Jughead less tense once he couldn’t see what the doctors were doing). Not long after, Betty was administered painkillers, numbing agents, and antibiotics. 

Once the preparations were complete, Hera announced that it was time, as “they don’t want to be contained for much longer.” 

The entire time Jughead stayed as close as he could to Betty, both of his hands clasped around one of hers. Every so often, he kissed their joined hands or her forehead and he whispered reassurances in her ear. They were both anxious and scared, but they felt ready to keep moving forward so long as they were together. 

The sun was rising when Hera sliced her open. It felt like a knife through butter - painless, though she could feel most of Hera’s movements. Betty and Jughead kept their eyes on each other, realizing how soon they were really about to become parents. 

“I can confirm that there are three newborns, all healthy,” Hera announced. They smiled at each other, Betty wiping away one of Jughead’s stray tears. 

“Are you ready for this?” she asked him in a whisper. 

“No,” he said softly, both of them chuckling. “Are you?” 

“Absolutely not,” Betty replied. 

They both knew they didn’t feel ready, but that wasn’t stopping them anymore. 

Betty felt a large pull just a moment later, inhaling sharply and squeezing Jughead’s hand. A screaming cry filled the room a moment later and she burst into tears at the noise. 

“First one’s a boy,” Hera announced. 

The team of doctors worked quickly, taking the squealing baby to be cleaned off and swaddled in a white blanket. Nearly five seconds later, the crying boy was transferred into Jughead’s arms. 

Betty watched as Hades accepted their son carefully. She noted the way he gazed down at him as the boy calmed some in his father’s arms. 

“Good Gaia, I have a son,” he whispered with a bright smile, looking between Betty and the child. She smiled back at him, her arms reaching out of their own accord. Jughead lowered the boy into her arms and he settled into her hold when he recognized her. 

“We have a son,” Betty muttered, holding the boy close to her as she tried not to cry. He was beautiful. 

Before she could process her firstborn, Betty felt another giant tug and another wail filled the room. 

“Another boy,” Hera said. The doctors were just as quick as before, depositing the newborn wrapped in blue into Jughead’s arms before he could blink. Happy tears were running down their faces by the time their second son was laying in Betty’s other arm. 

“Just one more,” Jughead told her, pressing his lips to hers softly. Betty smiled up at him. 

“If it’s actually three  _ boys, _ I might blow my--” She was cut off by another pull, alerting her to the new cry in the room. 

“A girl!” Penelope announced. 

Persephone burst into happy tears. 

She had a  _ daughter. _ And she  _ loved _ her. Already. Betty couldn’t even see her face yet and she already loved her so much. She loved all three of her children endlessly… just like she loved Jughead. As she let herself rest her head against the pillow behind her, Betty spotted a doctor handing the girl to Jughead, the newborn wrapped in a pink blanket. 

Hera and the team of doctors started cleaning everything up, but Betty didn’t even notice because she was watching Jughead carry their youngest daughter over to her with the largest grin on his face. 

“I’d let you hold her but you’ve already got two,” he told her, coming to stand next to his wife. She had one son on each shoulder, both asleep and radiating warmth. “And I’d give you a hug but my arms are occupied. Settle for a kiss?” 

“That’s not settling, Juggie,” she told him, smiling. He ducked in, leaving a soft kiss on her lips. 

“I’m so happy,” he whispered when he pulled away a moment later. “I haven’t been this happy since the day you said you’d marry me,” Jughead chuckled, making Betty grin. 

“Me too,” she replied. “I’m so, so happy.”

**\---**

Once the triplets and Betty were deemed healthy (and Betty had been stitched up), the doctors cleared the room by Toni’s directions. Jughead had joined his wife, sitting next to her in their bed while Zeus and Hera held their grandchildren. 

Betty watched her dad and stepmother smile down at the triplets, and she knew Jughead was gazing at her too while his head rested on her shoulder (he was always looking at her when she was nearby, after all). 

Zeus had cried as soon as he was holding his grandsons. Hera first ridiculed him… until she was holding her granddaughter and she ended up crying too. 

“They’re beautiful, Betty,” Zeus said eventually. “Just beautiful.” 

“Thanks, dad,” she replied. “I had some help with that.” Betty hugged Jughead a little closer. 

“Have you thought about names for them?” Penelope asked. 

_ Oh. _

“No, actually,” Jughead said as they glanced at each other. “We never talked about it.” 

They had been so preoccupied with their anxieties that they had  _ completely _ forgotten that their triplets needed  _ names. _

“We probably should,” Betty added. 

Once the triplets had been passed back to their parents, Zeus and Hera excused themselves so that Betty and Jughead could figure out what they wanted to name them. Persephone ended up holding their daughter and second-born son, while Hades held their firstborn. 

As they were debating names - divine  _ and _ mortal - the triplets decided to open their eyes at different times. Their second son, Zagreus, opened his first to reveal grey-blue irises. They weren’t quite as vibrant as Jughead’s but it was evident who he got them from. After their eldest opened his eyes to reveal his father’s vibrant blues, Betty decided she wanted the boy to be named Plutus, after Jughead - as it was his name before he became King of the Underworld. Their youngest was last to look around, causing her dad to burst into tears at the sight of her emeralds for eyes that mirrored her mother’s. They called her Melinoë because of the color of her bright eyes, meaning  _ the color of yellow-green _ in Greek. 

Mortal names for the trio were much harder to make a decision on. They each made a list of names that they liked for each child and compared them. The easiest to decide was their daughter’s, as Jughead had a suggestion that Betty agreed was perfect. The boys were much harder. 

Jughead paced across the floor as they decided on Plutus’ mortal name. Five seconds later, there was a knock on their door and Toni poked her head in. 

“Betty, I have the guests you requested a few months ago.” 

It took Betty a moment to remember who those guests were, but her face lit up when she realized who Toni was talking about. 

“You found them?” Betty asked, wishing she could get up though she was still recovering (it had only been a few hours). 

“I did - with the help of Katy and Apollo,” she replied. “Would you like me to let them in?” 

“Yes. Please,” she said. Toni shut the door behind her and Jughead was confused. 

“Who is she talking about?” he asked. “Who could possibly--” 

Before Jughead could finish his question, a middle-aged woman and a teenage girl that Betty somewhat recognized walked inside the room. Hades froze, his jaw dropping. 

“M-Mom?” Jughead asked. “Jellybean, is that you?” 

“Hey, Jugs.” 

He turned to look at Betty. “You did this?” 

“Back when I had free time and you didn’t, I asked Toni to track them down in the mortal realm,” she told him. 

“Why?” 

“I wanted them to meet the triplets,” she supplied. “You were upset because you didn’t think it would be possible. I wanted to make it possible, Jug. For  _ you.” _ He turned back to his sister and mother. 

“Are those my grandbabies?” Jughead’s mom asked, walking towards her son. He could only nod, a tear running down his face. 

“Would you like to hold one?” he asked, trying to keep his voice from wavering. His mom smiled, letting him hand her their firstborn. “This is Plutus.” 

Betty watched with a smile as Jughead interacted with his family. Once his son was out of his arms, Jughead took the opportunity to pull his teenage sister, Jellybean (also known as Macaria), into a large hug. His sister held Plutus next so Jughead could hug his mom. Betty could hear his mother, Gladys (or Hecate), apologizing for abandoning him with his drunk, abusive father and for leaving him with no other choice but to usurp him. He forgave her, telling her what Betty heard as “how I met my wife.” 

Jellybean came over to talk to Betty soon after, wanting to see her other nephew and her niece as well as her sister-in-law. 

“We heard about your wedding,” she told her. 

“You did?” 

“At first we thought it was my dad marrying some teenager, but we were surprised and happy to find out this morning that it was  _ Jugs _ and you,” Jellybean explained. “Your coronation, as well, is that of legend in the mortal realm.” 

“Really?” 

“You two are the most popular couple in all of  _ Greece.” _

A few minutes later Jughead introduced Hecate to Betty. She thanked her daughter-in-law for reuniting her with her son and congratulated them on becoming parents. Once she and Jellybean learned that Betty and Jughead hadn’t finished naming their middle child, they excused themselves from the room. 

“I can’t believe you,” Jughead said to his wife, getting back on the bed with her as he held his daughter. 

“Did I do something wrong?” Betty asked, holding Zagreus in her arms while Plutus napped against her shoulder. 

“No, not at all,” he replied, a tear running down his face. “I just… can’t believe you did that for me. You tracked down my mom and sister.” 

“You said that you wanted them to have a chance to meet our kids, Jug,” she said. “After everything you did for me… I wanted to return the favor.” 

“I don’t deserve you,” he whispered, more tears flooding his cheeks. Betty cupped his face, wiping away his tears with her thumb. 

“That’s a lie,” she said. “Don’t lie to yourself, Jug.” He just chuckled, making her smile. “We need to give Zagreus a mortal name before we get interrupted again,” she added more seriously. 

**\---**

By the time that the triplets had names (and Betty and Jughead had taken a hearty nap with their kids), all of Betty’s half-siblings had arrived and congregated with Zeus, Hera, Hecate, and Macaria. Toni had to wake up the King and Queen of the Underworld after four hours had passed since the triplets’ birth, asking if they were ready to tell their family what they had named their kids. 

The door opened a few moments later and they all filed in the room, creating a crowd around their large bed. Betty and Jughead were nervous about telling their families the triplets’ names, but they were confident about the choices they had made. They also knew that soon after Zeus would give the triplets’ godly status, and that’s what they were more anxious about. 

Plutus was first up as the new Crown Prince of the Underworld. They named him Daniel. 

Zagreus was next, he was named Charles. 

Little Melinoë, Princess Royal, followed her brothers and was named after her mother’s favorite flower. 

“Lily,” Betty announced, smiling at Jughead. The name had been his idea.

In front of all of their family Zeus proclaimed the newborns gods, royals in the Underworld, and nobles in Olympus, as they were the children of a god and goddess and the grandchildren of the High King. 

“Plutus, Crown Prince of the Underworld,” he began, holding up Daniel. “I proclaim you Grand Duke of Thessaly and God of Wealth.” Hera took Daniel before Zeus picked up Charles. 

“Zagreus, Prince of the Underworld, I proclaim you Grand Duke of Macedonia and God of Rebirth.” Charles was passed to Hecate and Zeus took Lily. 

“Melinoë, the Underworld’s Princess Royal,” he said just as her bright green eyes opened. “I proclaim you Grand Duchess of Mytikas and Goddess of Nightmares.” 

Betty froze, shocked. Jughead held her hand as their family applauded around them. 

“I know what it sounds like, but it’s a proper title for a Princess of the Underworld,” he assured her in a whisper as the triplets made their way back to them. “My sister used to be the Goddess of the Blessed Death. It doesn’t mean she won’t be able to grow up without knowing happiness.” 

Betty nodded in understanding, even though it didn’t make her any less nervous. 

_tbc : )_


	2. the after

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five years later
> 
> Persephone woke in a cold sweat, her breathing erratic and her heart pounding in her ears. She gave herself a moment to catch her breath, letting herself adjust to the dark room around her. 
> 
> It had been over eight years since sentencing Demeter to live the rest of eternity in Tartarus, yet Betty was still having nightmares about her… and she suspected she knew why. 
> 
> Climbing out of bed carefully as to not wake a soundly sleeping Hades, Betty put her dressing robe on over her nightgown and padded over to the joining door that connected their chambers to the triplets’. Formerly the Queen’s chambers, the room had been refurbished for the three five year-old deities that now inhabited it - Crown Prince Plutus, the God of Wealth, Prince Zagreus, the God of Rebirth, and… 
> 
> When Betty opened the door to peek inside the room, she saw the one and only Princess Royal, Melinoë, the Goddess of Nightmares, halfway to the door. It was evident in her glowing green eyes that Lily felt guilty for a moment, but she and Betty both knew why the other was awake, and it had to do with the wet streaks on the girl’s face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, this is it. The end of the road. 
> 
> I'd like to thank all those that encouraged me throughout this long-ass journey. Hollie was one of the first on board, then through sneak peeks and posting chapters, more and more support grew. I'm so happy to have created a universe like this one - it's been in the back of my mind since I began writing fic. 
> 
> I hope the conclusion of this Persephone/Hades fic brings you an escape from whatever the fuck you want escape from. Whether that be the disaster that is US politics or something small, I hope you are happy and safe. 
> 
> This is essentially a day in the life of Betty, Jughead, and their three crazy kids. 
> 
> On with the fic!

_ Five years later _

Persephone woke in a cold sweat, her breathing erratic and her heart pounding in her ears. She gave herself a moment to catch her breath, letting herself adjust to the dark room around her. 

It had been over eight years since sentencing Demeter to live the rest of eternity in Tartarus, yet Betty was still having nightmares about her… and she suspected she knew why. 

Climbing out of bed carefully as to not wake a soundly sleeping Hades, Betty put her dressing robe on over her nightgown and padded over to the joining door that connected their chambers to the triplets’. Formerly the Queen’s chambers, the room had been refurbished for the three five year-old deities that now inhabited it - Crown Prince Plutus, the God of Wealth, Prince Zagreus, the God of Rebirth, and… 

When Betty opened the door to peek inside the room, she saw the one and only Princess Royal, Melinoë, the Goddess of Nightmares, halfway to the door. It was evident in her glowing green eyes that Lily felt guilty for a moment, but she and Betty both knew why the other was awake, and it had to do with the wet streaks on the girl’s face. As she wiped away her tears, Lily pushed a dark brown curl away out of her eyes, glancing away from her mother nervously. 

Betty walked over to her daughter, meeting her halfway across the room and kneeling to her level. 

“C’mere, bug,” she whispered, opening her arms. Lily eagerly jumped into them, wrapping her little arms around the back of Betty’s neck. 

“I’m sorry, mommy,” she replied softly. “I didn’t mean to.” 

“I know, kiddo. I know. It’s okay.” 

For the entirety of Lily’s life, the girl had been unable to control herself when she was asleep… she couldn’t stop herself from giving herself vivid nightmares many nights. Sometimes, that included giving her older brothers and even her parents in the next room nightmares that found emotional traumas and exploited them. 

Betty knew Lily could see the nightmares she gave others because she had said so when she was barely two years old. 

A dismembered Demeter crawling from the depths of Tartarus that had appeared in Betty’s dreams that night was far from what she would consider appropriate for her daughter to see. At the very least, she and Jughead decided they would tell their kids about the stories of their true grandparents once they were thirteen. 

Hecate and Macaria had gone back to the mortal world a few months after the triplets’ birth and returned every year for their birthday, bringing the nicest presents they could. 

When the triplets were three, Persephone and Hades were alerted that the soul of Forsythe Pendleton had entered the Underworld. Jughead decided that they would personally escort him to the rightful part of the Underworld where he would spend the rest of eternity. On their way to meet the soul, Jughead told Betty that it was his father they were meeting. She stood by him through his grief process, though those feelings were complicated and buried so deep inside him they almost didn’t come out at all. It was a cold yet emotional moment when Hades watched the gates closing behind his father walking into the inferno that was Tartarus.

Zeus and Hera were doing well in Olympus, as were all of Betty’s half-siblings. Among their achievements, marriages, and the like, Athena had started up a school for young deities that she had quickly offered her services for the triplets once they were old enough. 

And Demeter was still in Tartarus, now joined by Hades II. 

Currently, the kids knew of Grandma Gladys and Aunt Jellybean, and they saw Grandpa Zeus and Grandma Hera pretty frequently. They knew nothing of Demeter and Hades II, and Lily only had glimpses of the horrible people they were through her parents’ nightmares. Over time, Betty had a feeling that she would piece together who those people were, but for now she felt that conversation was better for when she was older. 

And as for the present, Betty knew that it was the middle of the night and they  _ both _ needed sleep. Just as she was about to pick up her daughter, it was as if the five year-old read her mind. 

“Can I sleep with daddy and you?” Lily whispered, sniffling softly. Betty pulled out of their hug for a moment, taking a good look at her daughter. She pushed away the same curl from her face. 

“That always helps, doesn’t it?” Betty tucked the lock of hair that kept getting in her daughter’s eyes behind her ear. Lily nodded in response, rubbing her eye with her little hand and yawning. “You can come sleep with daddy and I. Let’s go.” 

Lily hugged Betty again, and this time she stood up with the small girl wrapped around her. Before leaving the room she walked over to Lily’s canopy twin bed and found a pegasus plush next to her pillow. 

“You want Peggy?” she asked softly. Melinoë’s head popped up from Betty’s shoulder and she grabbed the pegasus from her mom, hugging it tight as she resumed her previous position. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.” 

From there, Betty walked them into the King and Queen’s chambers next door. As she quietly shut the joining door, Persephone noticed something different in the room. 

“Everything alright?” Hades asked, his dark hair disheveled and his eyes clouded with sleep. 

“Just another nightmare,” Betty replied, sliding onto her side of the bed with Lily still clinging to her. 

“Just her or both of you?” 

Betty looked down to see Lily soundly asleep against her shoulder. 

“Both of us,” she replied. “On my account.” 

“Demeter again?” 

“Crawling from the depths of hell.” 

_ “Our _ hell,” he corrected, leaning over to press a chaste kiss to her lips. Betty giggled softly, a smile appearing on her face. “Sorry I didn’t wake up with you.” 

“I’m okay,” she told him. “Once I caught my breath and calmed down, I was okay.” 

“Can I get you anything?” he asked, his hand softly stroking her back. “I know those nightmares can get a little crazy for you.” 

“I’m alright, really,” she replied. “Just having you here helps.” 

“Glad to be of service, Betts,” Jughead said. “The boys okay too?” 

“Sound asleep.” 

“Well at least there’s that.” He yawned and Betty combed down some of his messy hair with her fingers. They had all lost sleep over the nightmares Lily accidentally caused over the five years of the goddess’ young life, and nobody had quite recovered from that loss of sleep… hence Jughead’s exhausted state. “Care to snuggle?” 

“Always, Juggie,” she whispered, kissing his cheek. 

As they slid under the covers together, Betty pulled Lily off of herself, keeping her daughter in her arms as Jughead pulled her closer from behind. He pressed small, soft kisses to the juncture of her shoulder and neck, pulling her further and further into sleep once more. 

**\---**

She woke the next morning when Toni opened their curtains. Usually she would have said good morning, but it was the weekend. With once glance at their private secretary, Betty knew that Toni  _ wanted _ to let them sleep in. She excused herself quietly, shutting the door behind herself. 

Betty was on her back, and she realized rather quickly that she had a head resting on each of her shoulders. There was a mess of black curls on her right and a mess of dark brown curls on her left. 

Sometimes it was funny how much their kids resembled them at times. 

Plutus had always looked like Hades. Both of the boys had blue eyes, but only Daniel had Jughead’s obsidian locks of hair. He always tried to act “tough,” but he was his mother’s son at heart and he always caved when Betty called him  _ Danny. _ Sometimes he was a bit rude, but he was just blunt when being truthful and still learning social cues. Daniel was also known to be the instigator in fights between the triplets - something Betty and Jughead were working on getting out of the Crown Prince. 

Zagreus, the middle triplet, was a giggly, hungry little boy. Charles’ reasonably controllable, soft blonde waves confused his parents to no end - as Jughead had a bit of a struggle to run a comb through his hair and Betty’s took a good amount of work to appear neat - but the boy’s toothy grin radiated through the blue eyes he inherited from his father. The Prince of the Underworld had inherited much of his father’s appetite, along with his love for food and eating, something Jughead was quite proud of. 

And then there was Melinoë. The only girl of the bunch and youngest of three, Lily was often found beside one of her parents. She had inherited both of her parents’ hair colors and hair textures, resulting in a beautiful dark chocolate color and a combination of curly and unruly locks that gave Hades’ “uncontrollable” hair a run for its money. Lily was a bit shy and quiet, but she loved to laugh. Her smile - that Jughead always said was identical to Betty’s - shined through her big emerald eyes and always made anyone that came in contact with her smile back. 

One odd thing about Lily was her temper. Though usually quite level-headed, when the small goddess got frustrated or angry, her green irises would turn bright red - identical to the way Hades got angry. As the trait was usually passed from father to eldest son, this was unusual. Plutus had not inherited the trait, but Lily did. 

Betty and Jughead hadn’t noticed it too much when the trio were infants, but there had been a situation where Daniel had taken Lily’s plush pegasus (“Peggy”) and Lily was about to pick up her older brother and throw him through the closest wall before their parents split it up. The triplets had been three years old at the time. 

Through it all, Betty always thought it was adorable when the triplets and Jughead were mirror images of each other, just like how he and Lily were as they used Betty as their pillow. Jughead had his arm slung over Betty’s middle, somehow managing to not touch their daughter as she remained tucked into her mother’s side with her pegasus under her arm. 

Hot Dog and Juliet were curled at the foot of the bed, as usual. They always started the night in their own dog beds, but ended up on the King and Queen’s bed somehow. Sometimes they were bold enough to sandwich themselves between the god and goddess that slept there, but they usually just settled for the foot of the bed. 

Smiling, Betty gently moved her right arm into a position where she could softly play with Jughead’s hair at the back of his head. After a few moments of combing her fingers through his soft hair, the god stirred, tightening his grip on Betty’s middle. 

“Juggie,” she cooed sweetly, leaving a kiss in his hair as he gradually woke. “Time to wake up the monsters.” 

“Five more minutes,” he mumbled, nuzzling his face into her neck and pressing a featherlight kiss there. 

“We can have pancakes if you go get the boys up.” 

The quickness Betty saw out of Jughead was unprecedented. After he sprung into action, leaving a substantial kiss on Persephone’s cheek, Hades got up and dressed quickly. Just as Betty had finished peeling herself from their daughter’s resting form, Jughead called Hot Dog and brought him along to go wake the boys, a bright smile on his face. 

Betty took a little bit longer, having needed Toni’s assistance in getting dressed because Jughead was busy. With the mortal’s help, she got into a beautiful emerald green gown with subtle silver patterns smattered on the fabric. She did her hair and put on her jewelry, making sure to slip her wedding and Queen’s rings onto either hand. After fastening a thin silver necklace with a lily charm around her neck, Betty found her silver crown and placed it on her head. 

Once she was dressed and ready, Betty turned to her daughter, seeing Juliet wake and go over to Lily. The puppy was wagging her tail as she positioned herself next to Lily’s face and left a wet kiss on the girl’s cheek. A moment later, Betty was beside her daughter. 

“Lily bug,” Betty said softly, stroking her cheek. Her daughter stirred, stretching a little with her eyes closed before ridding her cheek of dog spit. “Time to wake up, kiddo.” Juliet licked Lily’s forehead and sat down, waiting on one of her favorite playmates to wake up. 

“Mmm?” Lily hummed, not quite opening her eyes. 

“We’ve got to get some breakfast in you so we can have a fun day,” Betty added, tucking a brown curl behind Lily’s ear. 

“Food?” she asked, her eyes opening enough so Betty could see her green irises. Though Charles had inherited the blunt of Jughead’s appetite, Lily had a fraction of it too. It couldn’t quite compete with her brother, even though she tried. “What food?” 

“Pancakes, perhaps?” Betty replied, knowing that pancakes were a hit with all of the kids  _ and _ Jughead. It made the breakfast food a bargaining point for children and husbands that wanted to sleep in. 

“Really, mommy?” Her eyes opened even wider, now fully awake. 

“Well, that’s what I promised your dad, so yes.” 

“Yay!” 

“We’ve got to get up first--” Lily sat up, grabbing her pegasus and positioning herself to get out of her parents’ bed before Betty could really react. “Slow your roll, Lil, the bed’s too high to jump off. We’ve been over this.” 

Betty helped her daughter slide off the bed just before picking her up so Lily could sit on her arm. She bounced her daughter until she was giggling uncontrollably, then kissed her forehead softly. A few seconds later, they were standing in front of the kids’ room, Juliet right behind them. 

Upon opening the door, the pair witnessed pandemonium. 

Jughead was chasing Daniel around the room while Daniel ran after Hot Dog without a shirt. Charles was still fast asleep in his bed. Daniel, Jughead, and Hot Dog were making so much noise that Betty found herself surprised that Charles hadn’t even stirred… but that was life with triplets. 

_ “What _ in Zeus’ name is going on in here?” she asked loudly, her voice lowering. Hades and Plutus froze as she propped her free hand on her hip. Daniel almost stumbled over himself as he stopped while Jughead stood up straight, a nervous expression on his face. Betty looked over at her son. “Danny, stop being difficult.” 

“Sorry, mommy,” Daniel muttered guiltily. 

“Apology accepted. Now listen to your father and get dressed, please,” she replied, setting Lily down on her feet and turning towards her. “Go pick out something to wear and I’ll be over in a minute, okay?” Lily beamed, running over to her closet to pick out a dress. Betty then made her way over to her younger son, Charles. She sat on the edge of his bed, running her hand over his back. Hot Dog came over to her side as well, resting his large head in Betty’s lap.

“Charlie… time to get up, kiddo,” she said sweetly. He didn’t budge. “If you don’t get up, I guess you’ll just have to miss out on pancakes.” 

His eyes shot open, just like Jughead and Lily’s had. 

“Pancakes?” Charles asked with a smile. 

“Only if you get dressed,” she replied. 

When that five year-old boy jumped out of bed even quicker than his father had, Betty laughed. Jughead walked up behind her as they both watched Charles scramble to find an outfit. He pressed a kiss to the crown of her head, causing her to look up at Jughead and smile. He returned it. 

“I’ll take Lily. You get the boys?” she proposed, standing up with a pat to Hot Dog’s head and turning to Jughead. 

“Easier said than done,” he joked. Betty kissed his cheek sweetly, then headed over to Lily’s side of the room. When she got there, she saw Melinoë sitting on the edge of her bed with an outfit laid out next to her, swinging her legs back and forth while she waited. Juliet was curled on Lily’s bed. She beamed as her mom approached. 

“Hey, sunshine, you ready?”

“Yeah,” Lily replied. “Can you help with my hair, mommy?” 

“Of course, kiddo.” 

Betty sat in Lily’s vanity chair, letting her daughter crawl up into her lap excitedly. She repositioned Lily a little, as the vanity was quite large for such a small girl, and picked up her comb to run it through Lily’s messy, beautiful hair. 

This was one of Betty’s favorite parts of the morning, as Lily seemed to enjoy it when she helped her get ready for the day. She thoroughly enjoyed this part of the day - being Queen of the Underworld sometimes meant that she didn’t have much time for moments like these once she started her work. Lily was also quite bubbly when they were together, rambling on about nothing while Betty did her hair. 

When Lily was born, Betty hadn’t known much about how to do her own daughter’s hair, which led to Toni showing her how to do some simple yet elegant styles Betty could use once Lily had enough hair. Neither of them had known at the time that Lily’s hair would grow to be so unpredictable from day to day, but it was helpful nonetheless. 

Betty brushed Lily’s hair back, taking a few dark curls and softly braiding them on each side so that they met at the back of her head. She secured the two braids together with a silver hair pin. 

“Aaand… done!” Betty announced, beaming. “What do you think?” 

“It’s awesome!” Lily replied, looking in the mirror, apparently oblivious that this was how Betty styled her hair for her most days. Then again, most five year-olds couldn’t quite grasp the concepts of  _ yesterday, tomorrow, _ or  _ last week. _ “Thanks, mommy!” 

“You’re very welcome.” Betty pressed a kiss to the top of her daughter’s head. “Alright, I’ve got to help your father wrangle the boys. Are you okay to get dressed by yourself?” 

“Yeah, I think.” 

“If you have any trouble, just call me over, okay?” Lily nodded, smiling brightly. “That’s my big girl.” She let Lily slide off of her lap, running over to the navy blue dress she had picked out. 

Betty excused herself then, going back over to Jughead in his struggle with Daniel and Charles. 

**\---**

After they wrangled both boys into their clothes (and Jughead retrieved his crown), the family of five walked down to breakfast together. They decided to divide and conquer - Jughead took Lily while Betty had Charles and Daniel. With each of their little hands in their own, they were able to calmly make their way down to the main dining room. 

Jughead took the lead, pointing out to Lily her family members in the portraits they had hung. Most of the portraits were of Zeus, Hera, and Betty’s half-sisters and brothers (as there were six of them), but portraits of Hecate, Macaria, Hades I and his wife, as well as Jughead’s aunt and uncles stood proudly in the hall too. 

Betty watched her daughter light up whenever Jughead answered one of her questions. They had been doing this same walk for ages and the kids were beginning to recognize the family they didn’t get to see often more and more. 

The boys were listening too, made obvious by Charles. 

“Mommy? What about daddy’s dad?” he asked, the boy’s blue eyes attracting her gaze. “Where’s his painting?” 

Jughead glanced back at her momentarily with a pained expression on his face. 

“It must be in another part of the palace, Charlie,” she said quickly. It wasn’t a lie - they still had a portrait of Hades II. His and Demeter’s paintings were in storage, saved for the day the triplets were old enough to understand what their grandparents had done, as much as it pained them both to keep the portraits. 

“Which hallway, mommy?” Daniel asked. 

“I’m sure it’s around here somewhere, Danny.” 

When the dining room’s doors opened, the triplets scurried to their seats, leaving their parents behind. Jughead came to stand beside Betty, taking her hand in one of his and using the other to turn her head towards him. 

“Thank you,” he muttered, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. Betty couldn’t help but smile brightly, causing the floral arrangement on the table to spurt out a few petals. The triplets shouted in surprise. 

“Always, Jug,” she replied as they walked towards the table. 

Whenever the kids asked awkward questions about Jughead’s dad, Betty had made it a habit to divert the triplets from the subject. With Betty’s mom, it was easier for her to just play off Hera as her mother even though she had a  _ biological _ mother who was… much more difficult. After all, the triplets called Hera their grandmother without really being prompted (this was most likely due to Zeus being their biological grandfather). 

“Moooooooom! Daniel’s making fun of Charlie!” Lily exclaimed, pointing fingers at both of her brothers who were bickering. Charles was evidently more upset than Daniel.

“Daniel,” Jughead said sternly, causing both of the boys to shut up and look at their parents. “What’s the rule?” 

The boy sighed. “If you don’t have anything nice to say then don’t say anything at all.” 

“And what did you do?” 

“I told Charles he was a  _ harpy _ for screaming when the flowers burst.” 

“Daniel yelled louder than I did!” Charles butted in. 

“Did not!” 

“Did too!” 

“Boys!” Betty interrupted, getting them to stop again. “First of all, apologize.” 

“Sorry,” they both grumbled, facing each other. 

“Any more of that out of either of you and you’re both going on timeout,” she continued. “Now sit in your chairs nicely and get along for the sake of your pancakes.” 

Once they had all seated themselves - Jughead at the head of the table with Betty and Daniel to his right, and Lily and Charles to his left - breakfast was brought out. Jughead, Charles, and Lily each took a good helping of pancakes and bacon while Betty and Daniel took less. 

Each of the kids rambled on about random topics, as five year-olds were prone to do, and Betty and Jughead sat and listened with her hand in his. Sometimes the triplets could really just ramble about nothing, but most days they were able to really get excited about something. For Betty, seeing the little light in their eyes made it all worth it. 

**\---**

After breakfast, Katy and Toni showed up with Hot Dog and Juliet. They came to take the triplets to have some fun in one of the many drawing rooms that had been converted into a play space for them. Betty picked up Juliet and Jughead took Hot Dog’s leash just before waving goodbye to their three kids as they scurried off with their aunts. Before Toni got too far, Betty handed off a letter to her father to be mailed. 

When they were almost one, all three of the triplets had learned to walk… and once those three were walking, they were running wild. Because Toni and Katy wanted to spend more time with their honorary nieces and because Betty and Jughead were becoming exhausted from chasing their children for extended periods of time, Katy and Toni offered to take the triplets off their hands for one or two hours so they could spend time with them and Betty and Jughead could have some quiet time. 

It was quite a good trade. The triplets could have fun with their aunts every day, and Betty and Jughead could either get work done or just spend time together if they didn’t have much to do. 

Because it was the weekend, Betty and Jughead didn’t have much to do, so they decided to spend their two hours with Hot Dog and Juliet. They decided to just walk around the palace with the dogs beside them. Betty proposed the large, open balcony that wrapped around the entirety of the third floor. It had pillars and railings on the open side, wide walkways, and tall ceilings. On the inside walls were long, black banners with silver lettering - an H and a P entwined. 

Jughead offered his arm as they began, and Betty placed her hand in the crook of his elbow. Even with all of the space on the balcony, they chose to remain close with their shoulders nearly glued together. A pair of guards trailed ten feet behind them out of precaution, but Betty and Jughead were completely alone otherwise. 

“Have I told you that you look stunning today?” Jughead asked quietly. 

“You tell me that every day,” Betty replied, rolling her eyes as she blushed. 

“It never stops being true,” he said. “I’m just trying to keep the romance alive.” 

“You do a very good job of that, Juggie,” she told him, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. “Thank you… I guess I’ve just got a lot on my mind today.” 

“I don’t blame you. I do too,” Jughead said. “It’s Lily, isn’t it?” 

“You know me too well.” 

“I’m worried too, but I can tell it’s really weighing you down, Betts,” he whispered. “Let me hear it before you implode.” 

Betty had initially tried to play it off, but Jughead knew her too well for her to get away with not telling him about her worries. 

“It hurts to see her in so much pain, with so much fear,” Betty began. “Doesn’t it?” 

“I agree… but I’d say it affects you more,” he replied. 

“I think it’s because of everything that happened with…  _ Ceres,” _ she added. “Something about Lily just makes me want to make sure she’s loved and… I think that’s because Ceres never truthfully gave a damn about me, and I just… never want Lily to feel that way.” 

“It makes sense,” Jughead said sweetly. “I know you’re a bit more sensitive to her… and if it’s any consolation, I think you do really well with all of them.” 

“You do well with them too, Jug,” Betty replied. “It bothers me when you sell yourself short sometimes.” She stopped them. “Daniel really looks up to you, even if he sometimes acts out, and Charles and Lily do too.” 

“I’d say Lily looks up to  _ you _ even more,” Jughead countered, cupping Betty’s jaw in his free hand. “Sometimes I get a little jealous at how safe she seems to feel when she’s with you.” 

“How can you tell that?” 

“She runs to you when she’s had a nightmare,” he said simply. “Just like how you ran to me years and years ago before we shared the same bed.” Betty laughed softly. 

“I hope my father can help,” she said after a moment, changing the subject. “It hurts when I try to put her to bed and she’s terrified of sleeping by herself.” 

Lily had been known to sometimes have bedtime temper tantrums, which most parents would take as Lily not wanting to go to bed… when in actuality, that was how Lily reacted to her fear of giving others nightmares. Her screams and tears were difficult to deal with because it pained both Betty and Jughead to hear their own child screaming like that. Often, they just had to let Lily wear herself out, even if it could take up to two hours and included Betty and Jughead having a decompressing cry together afterwards. 

“She’s so afraid,” Betty continued. “She doesn’t want to hurt any of us, but she does it on accident and she can’t stop herself.” 

“I have no doubt that Zeus will be able to help her,” Jughead assured Betty, pulling her closer and waving off the guards behind them. “He'll do something. He loves you and he loves his grandchildren too much to not do anything at all.” 

Betty came in for a hug, letting Jughead catch her. 

“I feel like I'm letting Lily down,” she whispered. “I can't stop her nightmares, I can't keep my promises to her that she'll be okay when she goes to sleep." Betty let a few more tears flow, soaking into Jughead’s tunic sleeve. 

“That doesn't make you a horrible mother,” Jughead replied, stroking her hair. “Lily knows she can’t control her own nightmares, and she knows that  _ you _ can’t control them either.” Betty sunk further into her husband’s grasp. “We’ll make it better. When she gets older we can teach her to control her powers, and until then we’re going to keep showing her how much we love her, and we’re never going to blame her for nightmares that aren’t under anyone’s control, just like we’re doing now.” 

Betty nodded into Jughead’s shoulder, feeling her tears begin to subside. 

“I love you,” she said waterily. “You always know what to say.” 

“I love you too,” he replied. “I’m always here for you, and you know that, Betts.” 

**\---**

When the triplets were five months old, Betty’s favorite thing to do was make them laugh. The harmony of the three infantine giggles was enough to bring endless joy to anyone within a ten foot radius. They would laugh and laugh and laugh until they couldn’t anymore, and then they would keep laughing. 

Even just bringing a smile to one of their faces made Betty beam. It made her feel proud. Those little gummy smiles were a product of her and her husband and she couldn’t get enough. 

Most importantly, Betty was proud of herself in those moments. 

After all, making Betty smile had never been Demeter’s first priority when she was young. 

**\---**

“How were they?” Betty asked Katy and Toni while Daniel and Lily clung to the skirt of her dress. 

“Amazing as always,” Toni replied. “We went and ran around in the gardens a bit too.” 

“Not in Betty’s project section I hope,” Jughead added, Charles perched on his arm. The triplets had so much energy that Betty only asked them not to go in parts that she deemed  _ in progress.  _ Sometimes they would go over there as a family to work on Betty’s latest gardening projects, but the triplets weren’t allowed to play in those areas until they were done. 

“Of course not,” Katy said. “They were wonderful. And don’t hesitate to let me know if the little ones need new clothes anytime soon. That goes for all of you.” 

“Thank you so much, I can’t tell you how much Jug and I appreciate the few morsels of quiet time we get because of you both,” Betty told them. 

“Well we enjoy our favorite and only niece and nephews,” Toni said. “Let me know if you need anything.” 

“Thanks, Toni,” Jughead replied. 

“BYEEEE!” The triplets yelled in unison as their Aunts Katy and Toni left. Immediately, Daniel started tugging on Betty’s skirt in order to get her attention. 

“Mommy, can we play titans?” Plutus asked. 

“All of you?” 

“Yeah!” Lily and Charles cheered. Zagreus squirmed out of his father’s hold to join his siblings and Betty crouched to the triplets’ level. 

“What are the rules to titans?” Betty asked. 

“No mean words!” Melinoë said. 

“What else?” Jughead asked, kneeling next to his wife.

The triplets started rambling off the rules in no particular order. 

“No hard hitting.” 

“No throwing.” 

“No hurting.” 

“And no screaming so loud the guards think someone  _ is _ hurt.”

“You’re missing one,” Betty told them. “What is it, Danny?” 

“No… excluding!” 

“That’s right. What happens when those rules get broken?” 

“No more titans,” Charles grumbled. 

“And timeouts,” Lily added. 

“Yep. So let’s follow the rules, okay?” 

“YEAH!” 

“Alright, go have fun.” 

She watched the triplets scurry off into their room while they giggled excitedly. With a smile Betty and Jughead stood up, facing each other. 

“You  _ know _ why we never let them play titans,” he said, his arms crossed. 

“Of course I do,” she replied. “This time, I figured we could supervise.” Jughead gave her a pointed look. “Okay, I need an excuse to just sit back with you and let them be kids.” 

“You know they’re going to find a way to bring us into it too, right?” 

“That just makes it more fun, Jug, how are you  _ not _ sold?” 

“You’re right,” he sighed, letting himself smile. Jughead extended his hand towards her. “C’mon, let’s go watch our little monsters.” 

When they entered the room, Betty and Jughead saw that Hot Dog was prancing around with the triplets, who were donning their makeshift armor. Quietly, Jughead took them over to one of the couches in the triplets’ room, where Juliet was watching the children scurry around. They sat beside the puppy, Betty draping her legs across Jughead’s and bringing Juliet into her lap. 

While the kids divided up who was going to be which titan (there was a brief disagreement about who Hot Dog should be, but they got past it), Jughead placed his hand on Betty’s knee with his other arm draped around her shoulders. As she settled, Betty’s head came to rest on Jughead’s shoulder. 

Though they eventually got pulled into the triplets’ game, Betty and Jughead enjoyed every moment. 

**\---**

At some point within the first month of the triplets’ birth, Jughead had become a sliver distant emotionally. It was saddening for Betty to see the look of terror in her husband’s eyes when she proposed he let one of the triplets sleep on his shoulder. 

Jughead enjoyed the time he spent with his sons and daughter when he could get past his initial standoffishness. It was obvious he enjoyed that time, which only hurt Betty more. 

She could remember there was one day where she was  _ done _ with whatever he had going on, pushing him into their bed and pulling off his shirt herself. Betty proceeded to put a very young Charles on his chest, and she watched her husband melt underneath their son’s warmth. 

“Jug,” she said, combing his hair to one side with her fingers then turning his chin so he would look at her. “What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing,” he deflected. 

“Don’t lie, Jughead,” Betty scolded. “Why are you being so flippant about the kids?” 

“I’m just so scared,” he muttered. 

“Of what?” she asked sweetly, sitting next to his knees and taking his free hand in hers. 

“I’m not sure,” Jughead admitted, tears welling in his eyes. “And that’s the worst part.” 

“You’ve been kind of distant with them recently,” she said. “And that makes me sad. They want your love, Juggie.” Betty squeezed his hand. “You’re not going to ruin them, but I know that you will ruin yourself if you continue trying to distance yourself because you’re scared.” 

“You’re right,” he said. “And I’m sorry.” 

“They just want your time, Jug,” Betty told him. “I want your time too.” 

“I want to do better,” Jughead replied. “It’s just so hard when I feel like no matter what I do, I’ll end up… well… like  _ him.” _ Betty knew he was referencing his father. 

“If it’s the alcoholism, there are steps we can take to limit the risk,” she assured him. 

“And the abusive part?” 

“You’re  _ not _ abusive. Nowhere in my mind can I ever picture you becoming abusive,” Betty said. “You’re not your father, Jug. All I’m asking is for you to be yourself.” 

He smiled, bringing her knuckles up so he could kiss them. 

“Thank you,” Jughead whispered, his tears getting away from him. “Thank you for making me a father to these three beautiful kids.” 

“I forget to take  _ one _ pill and nobody will ever let me forget about it again,” Betty grumbled.  _ “Especially _ you.” 

“Not the cries at two in the morning?” 

“Don’t get smart with me.” 

**\---**

Betty and Jughead had finally gotten the triplets settled at the table in the dining room for lunch when the doors on the other side of the room opened. 

“Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses,” Toni greeted, bowing her head respectfully. 

“AUNTIE!” the triplets shouted together. Betty restrained Daniel and Charles from running to Toni while Jughead caught Lily before her feet could hit the ground. 

“I have a letter from His Majesty, the High King of the Gods.” 

“GRANDPA!!!” Once again, Betty and Jughead found themselves holding their children in their seats just at the mention of their grandfather. 

“You three get started on your lunch,” Jughead told the triplets. “We’ll be a minute.” He held his hand out and Betty followed him over to talk to Toni. 

“It’s addressed to you, Betty,” Toni said, handing the goddess the letter. 

“Thank you, T,” she replied. “You’re always so efficient.” 

“Enjoy your lunch,” the private secretary said, bowing her head once more and exiting the room. 

Betty saved the letter underneath her plate, as she and Jughead had resolved to open it once the triplets had finished their meal and ran off to go play. It didn’t take too long, as two of the three were capable of inhaling food like their father. There was an area set up in the informal dining room for the triplets to play where Betty and Jughead could supervise them, and it really helped because all three of their children couldn’t sit still long enough. 

Once the table was vacant, just like Jughead’s plate, Betty used a clean knife to open the envelope. She pulled the parchment out and read it over a few times. 

“My parents will be coming down for dinner and to visit with the kids,” Betty told Jughead. “They’re going to need an overnight room, and that’s just because of how late our work might go tonight.” 

“I’ll get that arranged with Toni,” Jughead offered with a gentle smile. 

“My father will be bringing down a device for Lily that would cancel out her powers when she wears it.” 

“That can be dangerous,” he said. Betty looked at him with a concerned look on her face. “Well… in surplus amounts it can be dangerous. Those are usually used on prisoners, like--” He stopped in his tracks and looked around. 

“Demeter,” Betty said with a straight face. 

Persephone knew that the official name of her mother had not been used in  _ years. _ Hades always danced around the topic of her biological mother because he knew she didn’t like talking about her former abuser. That sentiment was usually appreciated and she had let him know that it was very considerate of him, but on this one occasion Betty found it easier to be blunt. 

“Yes, and people like her who need to be restrained,” Jughead added. “My point is, they’re usually made for  _ adults… _ not five year-olds. That’s why I never proposed that idea.” 

“You knew it could be dangerous if the device was too powerful for a child with mostly undeveloped powers,” she said. 

“Yes,” he replied. “And though I would say Melinoë does have  _ undeveloped _ powers, she is still quite powerful as it is.” 

They both knew the magnitude of Lily’s nightmares from having experienced them many, many times in the past five years of the triplets’ life. Her brothers knew it too. That’s why they were asking Zeus’ help in the first place - the entirety of the House of Hades needed to be able to sleep peacefully again. 

“I’m sure my father knows this,” Betty continued. “And I have no doubt he’s come up with a modified version of the device that’s fit for a child.” They looked over at their youngest together. “I don’t know what I’d do if it doesn’t work.” 

Jughead grasped her hand with his, squeezing gently. “Me neither.” 

**\---**

The only reason the triplets went down for a nap after lunch was to make up for sleep lost overnight. Lily couldn’t make it through the day without one, most times. Her brothers also had the option of taking a nap, and if they chose not to they had to play quietly by themselves. Sometimes Betty and Jughead took advantage of that time to rest and recover as well. Even the dogs got in on naptime, often opting to cuddle with the triplets in their beds. 

Persephone knew she needed to sleep, and Hades had resolved to lay next to her even if he didn’t plan on falling asleep, but her mind was spinning. Sleep wasn’t coming, and it was obvious. Frustrated, Betty groaned, rolling out of Jughead’s arms to seat herself on the edge of their bed. 

She stared at the fireplace further into the room, watching the flames dance among the logs and tinder. The orange color flicked every which way, full of life and spontaneity. It was calming to watch it snap, crackle, and pop, especially on a cold winter day in the Underworld. Even during the summer, it was sometimes chilly in the Underworld, as the realm did not receive much natural sunlight. 

It had only been a month since she returned from Olympus, after the completion of her annual spring duties. Carved into Persephone’s mind was the image of her three children trying as hard as they could to keep her from leaving. She had wished she could indulge their cries and stay with them, but there were important things she needed to do for spring that could only be done in Olympus. 

According to Hades’ daily letters while she was gone, the children had asked every day when she would return. The new record for  _ most nights in a row where Lily had a nightmare _ was easily broken during those two weeks, capping at eight. Betty was tempted to ask her father permission to go visit them for a day, but she knew that would most likely make it worse, and Betty told Jughead as much. He replied, letting her know she was right, that he was just trying to be truthful about the reality of the situation, and assuring her he could handle whatever while she was gone. Hades encouraged her to get done soon so that they could all be together again. As a  _ family. _

Betty worked day and night in order to finish her work. She arrived in the Underworld just past the triplets’ bedtime on the fourteenth day since leaving. Because Betty had warned Jughead of her early return, he allowed the triplets to stay up until she came to tuck them in. By the time Persephone stepped inside the palace’s expansive entrance, she found Daniel and Lily revved up and ready to go, while Charles was slumped against his father’s shoulder - out cold. 

Lily bounded towards her first, clinging to her skirt, and Daniel followed suit. Both were blabbering on about all the things they did while she was gone, about how much they missed her. Betty crouched to give each of them a warm hug and a kiss, telling them she missed them too. 

After one more hug, Betty stood up again to find Jughead carrying Charles. She brushed his little blonde bangs out of his face and said his name softly, causing him to open those bright blue eyes of his. The boy smiled, reaching for his mother. Betty took him from Jughead’s arms, letting him melt into her shoulder instead. 

“Welcome back,” Jughead had greeted, pulling her in for a soft kiss. Their two children on the floor gagged, but they paid no attention to that. 

Persephone and Hades escorted their children upstairs again after that, taking them into their room. Betty quickly deposited Zagreus in his bed, as he was already asleep, then took Plutus by the hand and tucked him in too. Jughead was meant to tuck Lily in, but she asked for Betty. Melinoë had cause to ask for her mother, needing the calm reassurance that she would be there when she woke. Lily went out like a light. 

It hadn’t taken long for Betty and Jughead to get attached to their children, but it only made it harder for them on select occasions. 

Like when Lily had so much fear of hurting others that she often feared sleeping. 

Betty felt the bed shift underneath her, and warmed when Jughead sat right behind her. His legs came around, the insides of his thighs pressing against the outside of hers. She sighed when he encased her in his arms and rested the side of his head against her shoulder. Betty knew she was a sucker for his warmth as she relaxed into his hold (and then again, there was no problem with that). 

“Ducat for your thoughts?” he whispered, pressing a chaste kiss to the juncture between her shoulder and neck. 

“What if they can’t figure it out?” Betty asked. “The triplets start their academic lessons with Athena soon and they’re still taking naps because of the sleep they lose overnight.”

“We’ll keep trying,” Jughead replied. “Or we’ll begin teaching Lily how to control her powers, just like we were taught.” Hades ran his hands over her shoulders. 

“And what if  _ that _ doesn’t work?” She asked. 

“You’re so tense, you know that?” Jughead commented. “You’re so anxious I’m afraid you’ll snap in two. Come back to bed.” 

“I’m not going to be able to sleep,” Persephone replied. 

“Let me get you some tea, hm?” He offered. “I can draw you a nice warm bath and get rid of all these knots in your back… pull a few selections from the library… what do you think?”

Betty hesitated and Jughead wrapped her in a hug again. 

“I know you’re stressed,” he whispered. “Let me in, Betts. Let me help.” Jughead ducked his face into her neck. “If you prefer  _ other _ ways of destressing, that can be arranged as well.” 

She laughed, the sound shattering her previously stoic demeanor. “The bath, tea, and books sound heavenly, Juggie.” 

“I’m not sure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult,” he joked. “This is Hell, after all.” Betty laughed again. “I’ll get it all set up for you. Just worry about getting yourself out of this  _ stunning _ gown.” After one more kiss to her cheek, Jughead left the room to find Toni. 

No less than ten minutes later, Betty was submerged up to her shoulders in the hot, lavender-scented water. She adored their large, in-floor bath with all of her heart, mostly because it was big enough for her  _ and _ Jughead (and most of the time they used it together). For now, her husband was remaining dry, lying flat on the floor behind her with his sleeves rolled up while he massaged her shoulders. 

Betty’s worries faded into the background, focusing instead on Jughead’s thumbs digging into the meat of her shoulders. He’d been right about how tense she was. Persephone thought that if someone threw the solitary dictionary in the library and hit her square in the back she wouldn’t feel a thing. With every press of his knuckles and thumbs into her back, small gasps left her lips. 

“Oh  _ gods,  _ right there, Jug,” she whispered when he found a rather tender spot. 

“If you don’t stop moaning I’m gonna have to jump in there and take care of some things myself,” he replied. 

Betty let her head fall back so she could look at him. “What exactly is stopping you?” She bit her lip expectantly as she watched Jughead’s pupils dilate. 

He left a chaste kiss on her lips before sprinting to the other side of the room, making sure to lock the doors. It was amazing how fast Hades was when temptation took over his mind. On the way back over to her, Jughead shed each of his garments so that he was naked by the time he was standing at the edge of the bath. He used the steps to get in the warm water and gracefully swam over to his wife. 

“You were saying?” Hades asked seductively, his hands resting on her knees beneath the surface. Instead of replying, Betty cupped Jughead’s neck in her hands and pulled him closer so she could kiss his lips. He pulled back for a moment. “We’ve got to be quick,” he told her as she left kisses on his jaw. “The trio could wake up any time.” 

“You better get started then, King Hades,” Betty replied in a whisper. 

Their tea and the stack of books Jughead had retrieved went untouched.

**\---**

After the triplets woke up from their nap, Betty and Jughead took them and the dogs outside to get some fresh air. Persephone loved taking the kids into the gardens she had created, mostly because the wonder on their faces when she made flowers bloom was priceless. Zagreus was often the most intrigued, as he would one day be invested as the God of Rebirth and have a role to play in Betty’s spring planning. Lily just liked seeing all of the flowers, and Daniel liked the running space (they were allowed to run so long as they stayed on the cobblestone paths). 

Betty was kneeling next to Charles while she refreshed several flowers that had barely wilted when Hades came around to Betty’s opposite side. 

“Hey, Charlie, wanna see something cool?” he said softly, talking to his son. Charles nodded excitedly. 

Jughead pulled Betty into a side hug, pressing butterfly kisses on the side of her face. She relented, giggling. The sound caused hundreds of petals to spring up and fly around. 

“Jug!” Persephone exclaimed, shoving him playfully so he would stop. Charles was still staring in wonder as the last few petals floated back down to the ground. 

“Woah,” Zagreus whispered, looking at his mom. “MY TURN!” 

Before Betty could stop him, Charles hugged Betty tight. Her laugh did a little, but not quite as much as Jughead did. 

“LILY! DANNY!” Charles shouted. “GROUP HUG!” 

Out of seemingly nowhere, two small bodies crashed into Betty. Little arms hugged her tight and she laughed more, causing a few more flowers to spurt petals. 

“Group hug?” Jughead asked. “Yes  _ please!” _ He wrapped up all of them in one more huge hug, making the triplets scream and giggle at the same time. 

The warmth in Betty’s heart was what caused a petal cyclone to form around them. The sight made Persephone nostalgic for the night she and Hades got engaged and how the same thing happened to them when they kissed each other (and how it happened twice within fifteen minutes of each other). 

_ “Woaaaaaaaaaaaaaah,” _ all three kids gasped. With one calming exhale, the petals stopped swirling and floated back to the ground. Most of the flowers around them had been stripped of color, just left with their stems. 

“Who wants to see something even  _ more _ awesome?” Betty asked. The triplets bounced all around her, cheering excitedly. With the wave of her hand, new petals sprouted until the entire field looked like it had before. That same look of wonder continued to grace her children’s faces. 

“Can you do all of that  _ again, _ mommy?” Daniel asked. 

“Maybe tomorrow,” she replied, brushing her eldest son’s dark hair from his eyes. The triplets groaned in dissent, but Betty quickly distracted them by dangling a game right in front of their faces. 

Within minutes, Betty had the family of five and the two dogs all chasing each other around the palace grounds to the tune of five year-old screams and giggles. 

**\---**

“When grandma and grandpa get here, I need you three not to run and jump on them,” Betty told the triplets a few hours later as the family of five stood in the front courtyard of the Underworld’s palace. “Okay?” 

“Okay!” the triplets replied. 

When Betty stood up straight and turned to her husband he had a look on his face, almost as if he were telling her  _ You know they’re not going to do what you just said. _ They, of course, knew the triplets would be doing the exact opposite of what Betty had asked them. 

Zeus and Hera were coming down for dinner and to help with Lily’s bedtime situation. Betty was still nervous, but Jughead had reassured her time and time again that her father would do  _ anything _ to help any one of his grandchildren. She knew he was right. 

As the grandest of the Underworld’s river boats docked in front of the gates, the triplets knew exactly who was about to walk through the iron gates of the palace grounds. Toni escorted the High King and Queen of Olympus inside the gates. 

Rapidly, the King and Queen of the Underworld were each able to stop one child from charging, leaving their younger son Zagreus to rush his grandparents. Betty picked up Plutus, sitting him on her arm and Jughead did the same with Melinoë. 

“Remember your manners, Charles!” Hades shouted when his son stood in front of Zeus and Hera. 

“Your Majesties,” the boy said with a respectful bow of his head, audible and visible from where Jughead and Betty were walking toward her parents. Before Charles’ head rose again, Hal had picked up his grandson and hugged him tight with a hearty laugh. 

“Good to see you, Charlie!” he said, making the boy smile brightly before fixing his eyes on his daughter. “Betty, how are you, kiddo?” Zeus asked, setting Charles down so he could bring his youngest daughter into a hug. 

“I’m good, dad,” she replied. “I hope Cerberus didn’t give you too much trouble.” 

“He’s all bark, no bite,” Hal said just before spotting Daniel on Betty’s hip. “You’ve gotten so big, Daniel.” Plutus reached out to hug his grandfather and Zeus took him from Persephone’s arms. 

Hera soon made her way over to give Persephone a warm hug as well, Charles clinging to her skirt excitedly. 

“How are you sweetheart?” Penelope asked. “You look happy.” 

“Happy, yes,” Betty replied. “Tired, also yes.” 

“I can only imagine,” Hera said. “With these three? I can see it.” 

Jughead took his time greeting Betty’s parents warmly. She could tell he was trying to get Lily excited like she had been before, but the small Goddess of Nightmares fell on her shy side, staying firmly planted in the crook of Jughead’s arm. 

Once the pleasantries were done, they all made their way inside the Underworld’s palace and walked to the formal dining room. 

Though the triplets  _ could _ be energetic and unpredictable at times, they had each been taught manners and they knew how to use them (they actually used them often, too). They displayed their exceptional table manners during dinner, and once they were done they each found a lap to sit in to keep them occupied. Lily, who had eventually warmed to the presence of her grandparents, ended up in Hera’s lap. Daniel chose Betty and Charles found his way into Zeus’ lap. They were each relatively calm and quiet for five year-olds while their parents and grandparents talked about things going on in Olympus and in the Underworld. 

Soon, it was time for the triplets’ final playtime of the day. Zeus and Hera joined in and made the hour even more fun for their grandchildren. The laughter resounded in the triplets’ room and the smiles were contagious beyond belief. Nobody could really be anything but happy when there were adorable princes and a princess lighting up the room. 

When bathtime came around, Penelope volunteered to help Jughead with the triplets so Hal could pull Betty aside. 

“Please tell me you have a plan,” she said to her father. 

“We do,” he replied. “Hera and I came up with this together, along with Athena. We want you to put them to bed like you usually do, but Lily needs to go down last. We need to be able to make sure she can fall asleep and stay asleep without nightmares,” Zeus said. “It’s one of the reasons we’re staying the night.” 

“And what about the part where Lily doesn’t always stay in bed after being tucked in?” 

“If she  _ or _ the boys don’t want to go to sleep, we can handle it from there,” he added. “Your step-mother knows more about that than I do so she’ll be taking that over if it becomes a problem. We’re pretty confident that this will work, we just need you and Hades to get them in their beds.” 

“What does the plan include?” Betty asked. 

“We eliminate the nightmares with a child-tailored suppressor cuff,” Hal said. “So long as Lily is wearing it, she cannot create nightmares for  _ anyone.” _

“And it’s safe for children with mostly undeveloped powers, right?” 

“I assure you that I would never put your daughter in danger, Betty,” Zeus told her softly. “I… I vowed to stop putting people in danger the night of your eighteenth birthday,” he added, even quieter. “I will forever be sorry for my lapse in judgement--” 

“It’s okay,” Betty assured him. “I forgave you for that when you stuck me with my husband-to-be.” Zeus gave her a troubled smile and followed it up with a gentle hug. 

“I’ll give you the suppressor before you and Jughead put the kids to bed,” Hal continued. “There’s no reason to be afraid of it, you or Lily.” 

By the time Betty returned to Jughead’s side, their three children were in their pajamas. She helped him and her mother towel-dry and comb each of the kids’ hair. When Betty read the triplets their nightly story (with Jughead acting as a chair for Charles), Zeus and Hera remained in the King and Queen’s chambers and watched from the doorway. 

“The end,” Betty said at the end of the story, closing the book. 

“Again!” Daniel cheered. 

“It’s bedtime, Danny,” Jughead told his son. 

Eventually, the triplets all made their way to their beds. Charles and Daniel went down first, then Betty went to grab the suppressor cuff from her parents and took it with her to tuck Lily in. Jughead was already with their daughter, getting her comfortable in her bed. 

“Peggy’s right here,” Hades said softly, tucking the plush pegasus underneath his daughter’s arm. “Sleep well, Lil,” he added, kissing the top of her head and passing Betty on the way out of the room. 

“Hey, kiddo,” Betty said, sitting on the edge of her daughter’s bed. “Grandpa wanted me to give you something before you go to sleep. He made you a bracelet.” 

“Really?” Lily asked, a smile gracing her face. 

“Yeah, he said it’s to keep the nightmares away,” Persephone replied, latching the cuff around her daughter’s wrist. “There. Cool, right?” 

“Yeah,” the girl said. 

“Okay, time for bed now,” Betty whispered, kissing Melinoë’s forehead. 

That simple phrase kicked off the fireworks, even though Daniel and Charles were already asleep. 

“But mommy, I’m not  _ ready.” _

“I’ll see you in the morning, kiddo.” 

Betty got up, turning and walking toward her adjacent room. Zeus, Hera, and Hades were beckoning her, watching from the doorway. 

“Mommy, wait!” Lily cried, jumping out of bed and running towards her. Betty kept walking, but the little girl attached herself to her mother’s skirt and wouldn’t let go. “I’m scared, mommy! Don’t leave!” 

Betty’s heart cracked in two. She looked at Hera, who made her way over to them. 

“I’m going to tell you what I just told your husband,” Penelope told her daughter. “Take Lily back to bed, tuck her in, and tell her it’s bedtime.” 

“She’s scared, mom.” 

“I know, but you’ve got to trust me on this,” she replied. “Melinoë needs to learn to sleep by herself with that bracelet on so that she knows she has nothing to fear.” Betty nodded, emotions rising as Lily began to cry. “Now take her by the hand and put her back in bed.” 

Betty did just as Penelope told her, even though it pained her to do so. Lily was crying and calling out for her. 

“It’s bedtime, bug,” she told her daughter as she tucked her in. 

For the second time as she walked away, Lily jumped up while screaming and in tears, running to Betty again. Persephone was on the edge of caving when her mother returned. 

“Okay, now what you’re going to do from now on is put her back in bed without any communication,” Hera said, her hands on Betty’s shoulders while Lily cried. “You’ve got to just keep doing it until she wears herself out.” 

“Okay,” Betty whispered, taking Lily’s hand again and bringing her back to her bed. 

The cycle repeated itself over and over again. Lily was crying and screaming for Betty (somehow the boys didn’t wake up), trying to express her fears of going to sleep. Time and time again, Betty put her daughter back to bed. Lily tried screaming for her father, hoping it would change something, but he came in the room and put Lily back to bed himself. 

Betty allowed herself to step back and shed a few tears when Jughead took over for a few minutes. Penelope was there to comfort her. 

“You’re doing a great job, sweetheart,” Hera said, bringing her into a hug. “Keep being consistent and she’ll go down eventually.” 

“Why do I feel like I’m scarring her for life?” Betty asked tearfully. “Won’t this be traumatic for her?” 

“No,” she replied, both of them pulling out of the hug. “What does Lily need right now?” 

“Someone to show her there’s nothing to be afraid of.” 

“But what specifically does she need?” 

“Sleep,” Betty answered. 

“Exactly,” Hera said, brushing away one of her daughter’s tears. “She needs sleep. And the only thing that’s going to help her get that is you and Jughead being consistent with this.” 

“MOMMYYYYYYY!” Lily cried out, causing Jughead to tag Betty back in. 

“You can do this, Betts,” he told her, squeezing her hand. She nodded. “You’re doing so great.” 

Betty put Lily back in bed again just for the little goddess to get out of it five more times. Lily was in tears, Betty was in tears, and she knew Jughead was barely holding onto his own restraint. If he jumped in to help his wife it would undermine everything Betty was doing when Lily called out for her. 

  
“MOMMY!” Lily cried again and again and again.

Betty steeled herself, ready to take her daughter’s hand and put her back in bed as soon as she grabbed onto her skirt again. 

“MOMMY I  _ NEED _ YOU! I’M SCARED!” 

Betty was looking at Hera and Jughead when it happened. Her heart shattered then and there, right on the floor. She froze, recognizing that cry for help… the cry of help Betty had never been able to voice. 

Persephone stopped and knelt so she was on Lily’s level. Her daughter was shaking and sobbing, tears soaking her little, cute cheeks. 

“I’m scared, mommy,” she said through shaky breaths. “I  _ need  _ you.” 

Betty could tell that this episode her daughter was having  _ wasn’t _ a temper tantrum, and she especially knew that it wasn’t brought on just because she didn’t want to go to bed. Lily was  _ frightened. _

Betty was transported back to several times where she had needed Demeter in her childhood and Demeter hadn’t been there. She’d been scared on several occasions that were not related to her mother and Demeter hadn’t been there to tell her everything was going to be okay. Those times alone had played a huge part in her repeated abuse - the neglect. 

The voice in the Queen of the Underworld’s head told her to put Lily back to bed, just like she had been… but the abused child in her refused. 

She knew Lily’s nightmares were far beyond any normal five year-old’s nightmares. The child before her was desperately afraid of going to sleep, and Betty could tell by looking into the little green eyes that mirrored her own that she’d seen some things that no five year-old should ever see. 

(Demeter’s abuse of Betty and Jughead’s battle with his father, to name two even though Lily didn’t have any context.) 

This scared, crying child was a product of her own creation, and named after her favorite flower. The little girl was the same one she not five years ago would whisper to, assuring her that she would never ever let her feel unloved or unwanted like she had with her own mother. She was her little Melinoë, her only daughter. Betty took her daughter’s small hands in her own while Lily continued to sob softly. 

“Your bracelet from Grandpa Zeus does more than just take away your nightmares, Lily,” Betty told her softly. “It stops you from giving your brothers nightmares, it stops you from giving your dad and I nightmares, too.” She paused for a moment. “I love you so, so, so much, kiddo… but you need to sleep, okay? Aren’t you tired?” 

Lily nodded. 

“You’re not going to hurt anyone tonight with any nightmares,” Betty continued. “And you know there’s no way mommy and daddy wouldn’t keep you safe, you know that, right?” 

“Yeah,” Lily whispered, her voice scratchy. “Can I have some water please?” 

“Only if I can give you a hug first, bug.” 

Lily stepped forward and Betty brought her daughter into a warm hug. They stayed there for a few long seconds before Betty picked up Lily and carried her back to bed. Jughead followed them, trying to figure out what happened, but Betty told him to go get a cup of water for Lily and he obliged. 

Once more, Betty tucked Lily in, getting her nice and snug under the covers. Jughead brought the water back a few moments later. Lily drank as much as she wanted, then Betty left the rest on the table beside her bed. 

“It’s bedtime, kiddo,” she whispered, squeezing her daughter’s hand as her little eyes drooped closed. 

“G’night,” Lily said softly. Juliet decided then was the time to jump onto her bed, curling next to the girl softly. 

“Sweet dreams.” Betty kissed Melinoë’s forehead, and she and Jughead waited for their daughter to fall asleep.

Persephone just watched Lily, allowing the rest of her tears to fall from her eyes as she bit into her hand to keep herself from crying out. Once the little girl’s grip on her mother’s hand softened, Betty replaced her hand with Lily’s stuffed pegasus. Jughead placed his hand on his wife’s shoulder then, prompting her to get up and take said hand in her own. Fingers linked together, Betty let Jughead lead them out of the triplets’ room and into their own. 

As soon as the joining door shut behind them, Hades wrapped Persephone in a hug - one where she could bury her face in his neck and let the rest of the world fade. Words streamed out of her mouth without realizing she was saying them. 

“I couldn’t abandon her,” Betty whispered repeatedly, tears flowing from her eyes. “She was terrified.” 

“You did the right thing, Betty,” Hera assured her, placing a palm on her daughter’s back. “I was wrong. Lily  _ did _ need something else - and that was your reassurance that she would be safe.” 

“Toni can show you to your rooms when you’re ready,” Jughead told the High King and Queen. “Thank you for all of your help.” 

“Anytime,” Zeus replied. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t drop to help you and your family.” 

From inside Jughead’s arms, Betty wiped her eyes and turned to face her family. 

“Thank you,” she whispered. “For everything.” 

“You know we’re always just one letter away, dear,” Hera added. 

A few moments later, Betty stepped out of her husband’s arms to hug her parents goodnight. Toni entered the room, ready to escort the High King and Queen to their suites for the night. After the doors closed behind them, Jughead pulled Betty into his embrace from behind. 

“Are you okay?” he asked into her blonde hair. 

“Not really,” she replied. “I just had an emotional breakdown.” 

“I could see it in your eyes… the way Lily’s words affected you.” 

Betty took a deep breath. “There were so many times where I needed Demeter,” she whispered. “Times I was scared or anxious… and she was never there to be an actual mother for me, and that reminded me of how we went into raising these triplets telling ourselves we wouldn’t be like our parents.” Persephone paused. “I couldn’t neglect her and keep putting her back to bed like that when she was just so afraid of hurting us and her brothers with the nightmares she caused.” 

“And that’s why you’re such an amazing mom,” Hades told her, quickly spinning his wife around in his arms. “You always know what they need.” 

“I love you,” she said, grabbing his shirt in her fists. “And I don’t tell you that  _ nearly _ enough anymore.” 

“I love you too, Betts,” Jughead replied. “And on this occasion… I think you should  _ show _ me, rather than tell.” 

“It would be my pleasure,” Betty laughed, pulling Jughead down to press her lips against his. They came back up for air a moment later. “Let’s take it slow tonight.” 

“Your Majesty, you are speaking my language,” he said against her lips, capturing hers with his own once more. Jughead pulled away abruptly then swept Betty off her feet. She squealed in surprise. “Gotta be quiet,” he told her. “Can’t wake the monsters.” She laughed softly, kissing him again. 

Jughead set his wife on her feet again, walking her backwards and toward their bed. Lips locked, their hands undoing clothing along the way. Betty worked on unclasping Jughead’s jerkin and he drew her closer so he could get his hands behind her back. He pulled the ties loose on the back of her gown and she gasped at the feeling, beginning to push his jerkin off of his shoulders. 

A minute later they were both standing with their shed clothing pooled around their feet. Left in their underthings, Jughead lifted his wife into his arms again, making her smile brightly. He tossed her onto the bed, making Betty choke down a squeal. 

Jughead chuckled, laying down next to her, then pulling her into his lap. He laid back, bringing her lips to his tenderly. 

Betty let herself melt into their kisses, but sat up abruptly after a moment. 

“Something wrong?” he asked, a hand on either of her thighs. 

“Forgot to lock the doors,” she laughed. 

“No gremlins tonight,” Jughead replied when she got up and padded over to each door, securing the locks. 

Betty turned around when she was done, seeing Jughead waiting for her. He had that smug smirk on his face, the one that she so easily fell in love with all those years ago. Since then, they’d given each other a family they could be proud of, even if it had been an accident. 

It was the best accident they’d ever had. 

“Is the Queen of the Underworld coming back, or do I have to retrieve her myself?” Jughead asked from his spot on the bed. He’d sat up, coming to the edge of the bed and letting his legs dangle off the side. 

Betty bounded across the room while giggling, and jumped into her husband’s lap again. They fell into the mattress, Jughead’s hands defaulting to her waist with his fingers splayed. His face was between her hands, keeping his lips cemented to hers. 

Hades’ fingers trailed up the line of Persephone’s spine, closing around the clasp of her brassiere. 

“Yes,” Betty goaded in a whisper. Jughead expertly unclamped the garment with one hand, letting it fall away. It slid off of her shoulders and she tossed it in the general direction of their previously shed clothing. 

“So fucking sexy,” Jughead said in her ear, leaving a trail of kisses behind her jaw. Betty sighed, her eyes rolling back into her head, and he flipped her over. 

Betty scooted back, pushing her head into the pillows behind her. She watched Jughead crawl between her legs and up to look her in the eye. He lowered his face to kiss her lips, then left a trail down her chin to her chest. 

Betty’s head fell back into the pillows and her hands twisted in her husband’s dark hair. One of Jughead’s arms wound under her hips, keeping Betty in place. 

“I love it when you squirm,” he told her, speaking into her skin. Betty’s hips wriggled, grinding against Jughead’s thigh, and accidentally spurring a buzz between her own legs. She moaned softly, tugging on Jughead’s curls inadvertently. 

“I love it when you use that  _ mouth _ of yours,” Betty replied snarkily. 

“Oh, what? Like this?” Jughead’s hot mouth sealed on her skin, sending chills down Betty’s spine. She squirmed against him, brushing her center against his thigh again, and choking down a breathy moan. Jughead chuckled against her chest, continuing his ministrations. 

After only a few moments, Persephone had turned into a gasping puddle.

**\---**

After an hour (and three orgasms each), the King and Queen’s bodies collapsed into the pillows behind them, finally stilling. They were both breathless, trying to catch said breath as they remained tangled and pressed together. 

Betty still had the back of Jughead’s head still in her hands, keeping his face tucked into her neck where he continued to leave a few featherlight kisses. Hades cradled Persephone’s body in his arms and ran his finger up and down the valley of her back. 

“Juggie,” Betty moaned quietly.  _ “Fuck.”  _

“Yeah,” he replied against her skin. “I know.” 

“So good.” 

“I know,” Jughead said again. “Love you, Betts.” 

“Love you too,” she told him, kissing his cheek and running her hands through his hair. 

“No, no, I don’t have another one in me.” 

“I just like your hair,” Betty countered. 

“Okay, good,” he whispered. “I love you, but no more tonight.” 

“I think it’s bedtime.” 

“Indeed,” Jughead agreed, hugging Betty closer. 

“Wait, wait,” she interrupted, trying to pull out of his grip. “I need my herbs.” 

“But  _ I _ need  _ you,” _ he said with a pout. 

“Do you need another  _ child?” _

“No, I do not. Have fun freezing your ass off,” Jughead told Betty, finally letting her get up. 

“That’s what I thought, King Hades,” she said, grabbing her dressing robe and wrapping it around herself. “We  _ both _ remember the last time I skipped a dose because of cuddling.” 

“And there is no way we will ever forget it,” Jughead added as she entered their bathroom. 

**\---**

_ Six months later _

“Mommy, I need help with my sash!” Lily called from her side of the triplets’ room. 

“One minute, Lil!” Betty replied. “Can you help Charlie with his star?” she asked Jughead, handing him the gold eight-pointed piece of decorum. “I need to go help Lily.” 

“Of course,” he replied. “You go ahead.” 

After replying with her thanks, Betty crossed the room. 

“What’s up, bug?” she asked, finally finding her daughter dressed in a black satin ballgown. 

“It won’t stay,” Lily told her mother, evidently beginning to get frustrated with her sash. 

“That’s why we use this brooch,” Betty said, picking up the pin with white crystals dotted on it. “Here, turn around.” Lily did so, and Persephone pinned her silver sash to her back. “Perfect. Anything else bothering you? Did you get your gold star on okay?” 

Betty was referring to the same gold eight-pointed star that Charles had trouble with just moments earlier. The golden insignia given to each of the triplets  _ and _ Betty represented their status in the House of Olympus, while the silver garments all five of them had displayed their even higher rank in the new - adequately named - House of Hades. 

The past six months had been good to the royal family of the Underworld. The triplets had started studying with their aunt Athena, taking a fast liking to reading. Betty and Jughead were able to get work done during the day so they could be with their children after they were done with school for the day. Lily hadn’t had or caused a nightmare since Zeus had given her the suppressor to wear at night. Persephone and Hades had started teaching their kids how to control and use the powers their godly status granted them. 

“Why are we wearing all of this?” Lily asked instead of responding. 

“Your father and I wanted to start doing birthday portraits,” she replied, kneeling to her daughter’s level. “And what you’re wearing is called court dress, Lil. You’ll wear it more when you get older and you can start going to parties with your dad and I.” 

“It’s heavy,” Melinoë complained. 

“You happen to be quite the decorated Princess Royal, kiddo,” Persephone said. “You don’t even have your crown on yet.” 

“I don’t… know how to put it on,” Lily admitted, glancing behind her at the silver, sparkling crown sat on her vanity. “Can you do it?” 

“Of course,” Betty said, taking the crown in her hands and carefully lowering it onto her daughter’s beautifully-styled, brown hair. “There. Perfect.” Lily still looked apprehensive about the situation. “You look amazing, Lily.” 

“Thanks, mommy,” her daughter replied. “Can we get this over with now?” 

Betty chuckled. “As soon as your brothers are ready,” she said, standing up and taking Lily’s hand. She led them over to where Jughead was combing the boys’ hair. He put Daniel’s crown on his small head once he was done with his older son, then moved over to his younger son and did the same. 

“Don’t look at the ground, Daniel,” Jughead warned, focused on his task. “That crown will fall off and I’ll have to do your hair all over again.” 

The boys were dressed like their father, in their black formal tunics and trousers with silver embroidery and buttons. Each had white gloves and a silver sash running from shoulder to opposite hip. The boys, in contrast to their father, wore the gold eight-pointed star - the same as their mother and sister, and Jughead donned a row of medals on his chest that his sons didn’t have. 

Betty watched the focus in her husband’s eyes as he set Charles’ crown on his head. 

“There,” Hades said, standing his son up.  _ “Don’t touch it.”  _

“Now that you three are done fooling around, I’m sure Toni’s waiting,” Betty told them, Lily’s hand still in hers. 

Jughead ushered the boys out their bedroom door, stepping back just as they left so he could catch his wife’s eye. He wasn’t subtle. 

“You look  _ otherworldly, _ Betts,” Hades whispered, kissing Persephone’s cheek. She was, after all, wearing a gown quite similar to the one she wore at her coronation along with the curled silver serpent Jughead had given her around her bicep. 

“So do you,” she replied, weaving her hand into the crook of his elbow.  _ “But _ I do think it crucial we catch up to the boys before they mess up their hair or something.” 

“I agree.” 

Luckily, Toni had wrangled Charles and Daniel near the end of the hallway and kept them from running around too much. She and the family of five made their way into the Underworld’s throne room, where Nancy the demigoddess was waiting for them. 

“Nancy, so great to see you,” Jughead said. 

“And you as well, Your Majesties. I trust these are Their Royal Highnesses?” 

“The very ones,” Betty replied. “We’ll help keep them still as long as we can, but we can only do so much,” she joked. 

“I understand,” Nancy laughed. “Might as well get started then.” 

Betty and Jughead hadn’t sat for a portrait since the day of Betty’s coronation. Because they had both become a bit nostalgic with how fast the triplets were growing up (they were almost six), Hades had proposed they do family portraits and Persephone  _ loved _ that idea. Nancy was a close friend of the King and Queen of the Underworld and she had done so well with their coronation and wedding portraits, so they brought her in to do a few portraits for them. 

Nancy was quite efficient when it came to painting, and it only helped that she had a photographic memory. 

Each member of the family sat for an individual portrait first, beginning with the kids. The triplets stood for a portrait together (while Betty and Jughead feared some altercation from the side), followed by Hades and Persephone. 

Finally, the family of five came together for a portrait that Betty and Jughead previously agreed would hang beside their wedding and coronation portraits - on the wall of the throne room. With Hades and Persephone seated, Plutus and Zagreus stood on either side of their parents, and Lily had been firmly placed in her mother’s lap. By then, the triplets had thankfully figured out how to be mostly still for an extended period of time. 

“Mommy?” Zagreus asked from his place beside his mother. 

“Yes, Charlie?” she answered, trying not to move too much. 

“Is that daddy up there?” he asked, pointing to his father’s coronation painting to the left of two others before retracting his arm. Visible were a few scabbed cuts on Jughead’s face from his fight with his father when he was fifteen. 

“Yes,” Betty whispered. 

“And that’s both of you in the two other ones?” Charles inquired again, referencing his parents’ wedding portrait in the middle and Betty’s coronation portrait on the far right. 

“You got it, sport.” 

“Well… where’s this one gonna go?” 

“The ones before this are going to be hung on the walls, but the one we’re doing right now is going to go up there,” she said, motioning to the three above the throne room doorway. “Your father and I want to display these in honor of your birthdays.” 

“Cool,” Charles commented, smirking. 

A few minutes had passed when the double doors of the throne room slammed open. In came walking the small, fiery private secretary of the King and Queen of the Underworld, Toni. Katy came flying in behind her.

“Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses,” the women greeted swiftly with a bow of their heads, then proceeded to march up to them. 

“Your Majesties, I regret to inform you that there is an urgent matter I must ask you to attend to immediately,” Toni said sternly. “I already asked Katy to take the triplets and watch them while you handle the matter.” 

Betty stood, stunned as she watched Katy come and take Lily from her arms regretfully. 

“There’s nothing to worry about, I can handle them,” Katy assured Persephone and Hades, taking Zagreus by the hand too. 

Betty’s hand defaulted to Jughead’s, their fingers entwining as he led them toward Toni. She turned her head just before their private secretary led them out of the room. 

“Be good for your aunt!” she shouted. “We’ll be back as soon as we can!” 

“Bye!” the triplets shouted in unison, waving their little hands as Betty and Jughead rounded the corner and they were out of sight. 

“What’s going on, Toni?” Jughead asked, tugging Betty closer as they speed-walked down the halls. 

“There’s been an altercation between some stubborn spirits in the Asphodel Meadows,” she replied. “I know you both are quite capable of breaking it up, but we have the Underworld Royal Regiment on the way as well.” 

“Why us?” Betty asked. 

“All due respect, Persephone, but mortals have been gradually becoming more terrified of you rather than Hades.” Toni glanced back at the King and Queen of the Underworld. “Plus, I thought you’d be down for some good, old-fashioned ass-kicking--”

“What? Why are they afraid of  _ me?”  _

“You  _ are _ quite strict about who gets into Tartarus, Betts,” Jughead added. 

“And there was that one time where you thought about starting an orchard along with your gardens, but when the word got out the mortals all thought you were growing  _ poisonous _ fruit--” Toni continued. 

“That was  _ years _ ago!” Betty objected. 

“Nevertheless, if anyone can get this situation handled, it’s the both of you.” 

“You ready to wreak some havoc,  _ mi regina supermundanae?” _ Hades asked his wife, taking his crown of their head as they entered their armor gallery. 

“Only if you are,  _ meus rex,” _ Persephone replied, bringing Jughead in for a searing kiss.  _ “Usque in aeternum.”  _

**_Forevermore._ **

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
_**Fin.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the definitive end of this universe for me. It's the last part. 
> 
> Unless I decide to go forth with a comedic first-person drabble where the narrator (me) dies and becomes Betty and Jughead's scribe for kicks. 
> 
> I hope you've enjoyed this journey. I've been trying to express it in words properly since October 2019. 
> 
> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> Find me on tumblr - @riverdalenerdlol

**Author's Note:**

> So part two's mainly going to be wrapping up some loose ends PLUS a bit of a time jump! 
> 
> Can't wait to finish the rest so that I can show y'all what I've been hiding hehe. It's gonna be worth it - promise!


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